Box Score LAREDO, Texas – MILEKA LOYDRAKE scored 25 points as the Hilltoppers topped the #1 seed Texas A&M International Dustdevils, 62-56 during the first Heartland Conference emifinal matchup on Friday evening. St. Edward's advances to the championship game to face St. Mary's for the right to advance to the NCAA Regional Tournament.
 
Head coach J.J. Riehl commented after the game, "Wow, What a game. What fight the girls showed. TAMIU is a really good team and they've had a great year, but so have we and we aren't ready for it to be over and that's the way we played in the second half. We didn't play particularly well, but we played really good defense in the second half. We did a really good job of keeping them from running their sets."
 
TAMU-International (19-7) jumped on tSt. Edward's (18-8) early, taking a 12-6 lead through the first nine minutes of action. The Dustdevils pushed their lead to nine points, 22-13 with 7:07 left in the first half.
 
Loydrake and VALENCIA WHITE connected on two jumpers to help trim the lead to three points, with three minutes remaining in the half. Once again, the Dustdevils extended their lead to nine points with just under two minutes to play, and went into the half leading 33-25.
 
CASEY RILEY got the scoring started for the Hilltoppers with a basket from downtown to open the second half of play. Loydrake scored four-straight points and ERIKA ROUSCULP scored a layup to give the game its first tie at 36.
 
Loydrake got fouled on a layup and added the free throw for the three-point play to give St. Edward's its first lead of the game, 39-38. The teams traded baskets for several possesions until the Hilltoppers took a four-point lead courtesy of KATHLEEN BRISBANE and HALEY MEEKINS.
 
From that point on, the Hilltoppers were in control of the contest. Loydrake and Riley scored four free throws, pushing the lead to five points. The Dustdevils went on a 4-0 run and were down one point, 54-53 with 1:44 remaining.
 
Again Riley drained a three-point basket at an opportune time to stop the Dustdevil run. Loydrake, Riley, and Dekkers sealed the victory at the foul line, and the Hilltoppers came out on top, 62-56.
 
The St. Edward's defense came to play forcing 23 turnovers throughout the course of the game. The Hilltoppers also had 10 steals for the game.
 
CASEY RILEY chipped in 10 points and two steals to go along with Loydrake's 25 points.  ERIKA ROUSCULP led the Hilltoppers with 11 rebounds. Dekkers again led the game with six assists.
 
Riehl commented on the play Loydrake, Rousculp, and Riley, "Mel was really good. She just went to a different level in the second half and she was the best player on the floor. We really rode her passion and enthusiasm."
 
"Erika was solid on the boards and did a really good job controlling the defensive glass."
 
"Casey made another key shot for us. She was really good defensively and when we needed something big, she delivered."
 
Riehl closed her statement, "Our bench was incredible. They proved to be the difference in the game. They played big minutes, knocked down shots, and did a really good job giving us a spark."
 
The Hilltoppers will be back in action tomorrow as they face St. Mary's in a postseason installment of "Battle of the Saints" in the Heartland Conference Tournament Championship. The game will begin at 5:00 p.m. Live video and stats will be available through the Dustdevil Athletic Website.