TERRE HAUTE, IND. -- Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology knocked off a nationally ranked women's basketball team for the first time since January of 2006 with a 59-52 win over No. 12 ranked Franklin College on Wednesday at Hulbert Arena.
Senior Alisa Dickerson (Elizabethtown, Ky.) led the Engineers with 17 points, a career-high 14 rebounds and a season-high eight assists. Freshman Sheree Williams (Bluffton, S.C.) also reached double figures with 16 points.
Sarah Condra led Franklin with 18 points, and Krista Beaman added 10. Franklin dropped to 20-2 on the season and 13-2 in conference play with the loss.
Rose-Hulman earned its first victory over a nationally ranked team since topping No. 22 Trinity 53-51 on Jan. 27, 2006.
Sophomore Kelsey Ploof (Noblesville) and sophomore Heather Finnell (Decatur, Tenn./Cleveland) scored eight points each for the Engineers. Freshman Grace Gibbs (Parker, Colo./Ponderosa) also scored six points with 10 rebounds.
Rose-Hulman shot 62% from the field in the first half to jump out to a 32-20 lead at the break. The Engineers turned a 10-8 lead into a 21-10 advantage with an 11-2 run over six minutes to gain control of the first half.
Franklin showcased its national ranking with a strong charge in the second half. The Engineers led by 11 on three occasions, before eight straight points from the Grizzlies cut Rose-Hulman's lead to 47-44 with 4:01 remaining.
Finnell added a jumper and Williams buried two free throws to push the margin to 51-44 at the 3:00 mark. Franklin rallied to within four points at 55-51 on two free throws by Krista Beaman with 1:08 remaining.
Williams hit two more free throws at the 50-second mark to give Rose-Hulman a 57-51 edge, and Kasey Dollins hit one of two free throws to bring Franklin within 57-52. Freshman Emily Fuhs (Jasper/Northeast Dubois) added the Engineers final two points on a pair of foul shots at the 21-second mark.
Rose-Hulman improved to 7-15 overall and 5-10 in conference play, while Franklin stands 20-2 and 13-2 in league games. The Fightin' Engineers return to action on Saturday in the team's annual Breast Cancer Awareness Game against Defiance.
