BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Freshman guard Sarah Schriner and senior forward Lacey Huck pulled the Franciscan women's basketball team past a halftime 2-point trail and on to a landslide victory. The team's determination secured a 52-39 win over D'Youville College and put the Lady Barons into the AMCC playoffs for the first time in program history.

The team's chances of claiming the last open playoff spot hinged on the victory but based on the neck-and-neck first half it didn't look like things would come easy.

"Our offense was struggling in the first half," Head Coach Suzy Delaney said. "Every game is going to be a challenge and D'Youville is a good team. We had beaten them once before, but we had yet to beat a team twice in one season."

Seven minutes into the game the Spartans started a 6-0 run that put D'Youville up 12-4. A jumper from sophomore Katie Rhodes, and six free throws kept the Lady Barons in the hunt of the low scoring game. A jumper from Huck with a minute left in the half briefly tied the game at 19 before two D'Youville free throws put FUS down 21-19 at the half.

The game's intermission was the true turning point as a different, more intense Lady Baron team took the floor after half time, led by Schriner and Huck.

"The team came out with greater intensity after halftime," Delaney said. "They were ready to go, ready to get the job done. They dictated the flow. They responded."

Huck played every minute of her final regular-season game, finishing with 13 points, 8 rebounds and 4 steals, a stat line consistent with her impressive four years at FUS.

The senior was complemented by the freshman, Schriner, who put 21 points on the board. A 3-pointer from Schriner five minutes into the half gave Franciscan a 28-26 lead and the team never trailed again.

While Schriner's offense pulled FUS in front, it was the defense of junior guard Stephanie Pahren that kept D'Youville from re-taking the lead. Pehren finished with 5 rebounds and 2 steals to go along with her 6 points.

"We needed a complete defensive effort to survive and advance because our offense was struggling in the first half," Delaney said. "Pahren gave us that individual defensive effort."

The playoff spot wasn't just riding on a Franciscan victory, but also on a Mt. Aloysius loss to Pitt-Bradford. The Mounties lost to Bradford 82-49, sealing the AMCC playoff standings.

"We are very grateful for the opportunity and we are really excited," Delaney said. "This is the first ever playoffs in the modern era of Franciscan' Women's basketball. We want to get back to work and be ready."

The Lady Barons will play Pitt-Greensburg, ranked third in conference standing, in Pittsburgh on Tuesday at a time to be named later.