(Carlisle, Pa.) – The Dickinson women's basketball team showed great composure down the stretch to win its Centennial Conference opener, turning back McDaniel College, 60-57, in a thriller at the Kline Center. The win is also the first at Dickinson for Head Coach Emily Hays.

The Red Devils used a strong start and a balanced attack to take a 16-7 lead at the end of the first quarter. Sophomore Lizzie Becker (Philadelphia, Pa./Germantown Friends) led the way with five points, hitting a three-pointer and a pair of free throws.

The teams played even through the second period with the Red Devils holding on to a nine-point advantage, 30-21, at the break. Senior Kassidy Lesher (Shoemakersville, Pa./Hamburg) was well on her way to a double-double, scoring nine points and controlling seven rebounds.

Dickinson outscored the Green Terror 13-10 in the third quarter behind three-pointers from sophomore Emily Padalino (West Sand Lake, N.Y./Albany Academy) and first-year Halle Maeda (Santa Monica, Calif./Mira Costa).

McDaniel came on strong in the fourth quarter, making a big run to cut the deficit to just a field goal, with 2:17 remaining in regulation. Jasmine Smith led the charge, converting a three-point play to make the score, 50-48, before Padalino answered with a three-pointer with 1:54 on the clock.

McDaniel rallied once again as Smith sandwiched a pair of layups around free throws from first-year Claudia Maira (Clinton, N.J./North Hunterdon) to pull within one, 58-57. Maira knocked down two more from the stripe, with 13 seconds left to play to help secure the win.

Smith finished with a game-high 19 points as McDaniel slips to 1-4 overall and 0-2 in the conference.

Lesher led the Red Devils with 15 points, 11 rebounds and a pair of blocked shots. Hannah Heiring (Wayzata, Minn./Wayzata) was just shy of a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds, handing out three assists as well.

Padalino reached double-figures with 11 points while Maira went 8-for-10 from the line, adding 10 points, three rebounds and a pair of assists. Maeda finished with five points and three assists on the night.

The Red Devils improve to 1-3 overall and start conference play 1-0. They travel to Muhlenberg College on Thursday night for a 7:30 start before returning home to host Swarthmore College on Saturday afternoon at 2:00 pm.