Senior center Carol Dye scored 16 points and added 15 rebounds to lead the University of Mary Washington women's basketball team to a 50-47 victory at York College on Saturday, putting the Eagles into a half-game lead in the Capital Athletic Conference standings with a 5-1 record.

In a game in which defense showed the way, York carried a slim lead for much of the first half. The Spartans led, 22-18, with 7:02 remaining, but the Eagles went on a 12-1 run, keyed by four straight baskets from Dye, and the Eagles led at intermission, 30-25.

UMW scored the first two baskets of the second half and never trailed again, althought York cut the deficit to one at 44-43 with 11:05 to play. After a Dye basket, junior guard Sam Partonen made a jumper with 8:06 left to lift the Eagle lead to 48-43, and that, remarkably, was the last field goal for either team in the game.

A pair of Amanda Witmer free throws moments later upped the lead to 50-43, and York added four free throws down the stretch to cut the final to 50-47.

The Eagles shot 37.5% from the floor (21-56), with four three pointers, and went 4-5 from the free throw line. York was 14-45 from the floor (31.1%), with one three pointer, and was 18-22 from the free throw line. UMW held a significant edge in rebounding, 42-26.

Dye was the only Eagle in double figures, although all six players that scored for the Eagles scored at least six points.

UMW will return to action on Wednesday when they host Ferrum College at 6:00 p.m.