November 27, 1998

FAIRFIELD, Conn. - Sophomore forward OLIVIA DARDY put on a show for her hometown crowd with 21 points and a career-high-tying 12 rebounds as the Wake Forest women's basketball team blew out Fairleigh Dickinson, 75-49, in the first game of the Fairfield University Warner Classic. The Demon Deacons will play the winner of tonight's Fairfield-East Carolina game in the tournament championship tomorrow at 4:00 pm.

Wake (3-1) led FDU 36-25 at the half, but the Knights (1-3) opened the second period with a 6-0 run to close the gap to six. The Deacon defense then clamped down, holding FDU to just eight points in the final 10 minutes of the game. Wake drained 11 three-pointers in the win - just two shy of the school record - and outrebounded FDU 53-41.

Dardy, a native of nearby Norwalk, CT, hit 7-of-15 shots from the floor, including a career-best four three-pointers on six attempts. Seven of her rebounds came on the offensive end. Also in double figures for the Deacs was sophomore forward BRENDA MOCK KIRKPATRICK, who scored a career-high 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting. For FDU, sophomore forward MELANIE PROL had 14 points.