Greenville, Pa (January 20, 2010) -- With a red hot shooting hand from beyond the arc, the Thiel College women's basketball team picked up their fifth win of the season Wednesday, when they defeated the Chatham University Cougars, 63-61.

The women of Thiel began the game dreadfully on the offensive side of things, converting on just one of their first eight shot attempts and, saw the visiting Cougars jump out to a 14-2 lead in the first five minutes of play.

This slow start eventually subsided as the Thiel offense roared back while the defense clamped down, outscoring the women of Chatham, 30-12, to the end the first half with the lead.

The second half began much like the first, with the Thiel College offense sputtering, while Chatham surged ahead.  But, this would last only so long before the duo of Kelly Muffley (Salsburg, Pa./Western Reserve Academy) and Ashley Davis (Cleveland, Ohio/St. Peter Chanel) caught fire offensely, combining for 20 second half points, and the freshman wunderkind, Kelly Barzak (Warren, OH/Howland), imposed her will on the defensive end, with six second half blocks.

Davis led the way for the Tomcats, scoring a game-high 18 points and wrangling seven boards, while Muffley converted on 5-of-9 threes, scoring 17 points and grabbing seven rebounds.  Barzak finished the day with a game-high seven blocks, to go along with five rebounds.  Her seven blocks tie for third most in school history.  Chelsea Meister (Liberty Center, Ohio/Liberty Center ) contributed 13 points and three assists to the victory.

The women of Thiel finished the game shooting 22-of-55 (40%) from the field and 8-of-16 (50%) from three, while the Cougars shot 40 percent overall and 18% from beyond the arc.

On Saturday, January 23 the Bearcats of Saint Vincent come to Greenville, Pa. to face the women of Thiel College basketball in a 1 p.m. contest.