Greensboro, NC (02/13/04) - Senior Dara Burke's (Richmond, VA/St. Catherine's School) three-pointer triggered a 14-4 run that lifted host Guilford past league-leading Eastern Mennonite, 69-61, Friday night in Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) play. Burke, who scored 10 second-half points, added a key layup with 1:49 left and finished with a career-high 13 points.

The Quakers' 32nd home win in 33 games salvaged a split of the season series with the Royals (18-3, 14-3 ODAC), who are ranked third in this week's NCAA Division III South Region poll. Guilford improved to 13-8, 11-6 in the ODAC.

After a cold-shooting first half that ended in a 20-20 tie, both clubs came out firing on target in the second period. The lead changed hands four times before Guilford grabbed a six-point edge with 13:22 remaining on a Jennifer King (Reidsville, Rockingham County) three-pointer. The Royals recovered and tied the game at 49-49 on a Laura Ludholtz (Mt. Crawford, VA/Ft. Defiance) free throw with 7:56 left. The Royals' Stephanie Mathews (Woodstock, VA/Central) tied the game for the fourth time of the half with 4:07 left with a free throw, but missed her second free throw and the chance to give Eastern Mennonite the lead.

Burke responded at the other end with a three-pointer, just her eighth trifecta of the season, to break the 55-55 tie. A Ludholtz jumper with 2:12 left trimmed the Quakers' lead to 58-57, but Burke's layup at the other end restored Guilford's three-point edge. Eastern Mennonite started fouling and Guilford made nine of 10 shots from the charity stripe in the final 90 seconds. Senior Nicole McCrory (Charlotte, NC/East Mecklenburg) tallied six of her 10 second-half points from the foul line in the final 36 seconds.

Guilford's Jennie Keichline (Chapel Hill, NC/East Chapel Hill) notched her third double-double of the year with 17 points and a career-high 13 rebounds, both game highs. Senior A.J. Robertson (Eden, NC/Morehead) scored all 13 of her points in the second half and became Guilford's all-time leader in three-pointers with three trifectas that raised her career total to 106. King finished with 12 points, six boards and a game-high four assists.

Ludholtz made six-of-seven field goals and led the Royals with 15 points, 13 in the second half. Sophomore Regina Sours (Luray, VA/Mt. Carmel Christian) contributed 14 points and six boards in 15 minutes off the bench. Mathews finished with 12 points, five boards and four assists, but committed five of Eastern Mennonite's 26 turnovers. The Royals' leading scorer, Carrie Grandstaff (Luray, VA/Mt. Carmel Christian), scored just six points, 12.7 below her season average, on three-of-14 shooting from the floor, 0-7 from three-point range.

Both teams play conference games Saturday. Guilford hosts Bridgewater, which grabbed first place in the ODAC with a 63-51 win at Emory & Henry Friday night, at 4:00 pm. The Royals visit Emory & Henry Saturday at 4:00 pm.