Strong Defense Leads Lady Raider Basketball to 61-50 Victory Over Dowling
Dec. 7, 2007
EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. - Despite
not making a field goal over the game's final 8:38 and totaling just three
points, the Shippensburg University women's basketball managed to win its
fourth-straight game on Friday, defeating Dowling 61-50 in the ESU Rotary
Classic held at East Stroudsburg's Koehler Fieldhouse.
The Lady Raiders (5-1) led by as many as 26 points with 10:10 remaining following
a free throw by sophomore guard Natalie Monroig (Northumberland/Shikellamy),
her first point of the season.
However, Shippensburg would finish the game 0-for-13 from the floor, scoring
all three points from the free throw line, only one of which came after freshman
forward Kasey Gardner (Sharpsville/Sharpsville) made both of her attempts
with 7:18 to play.
In addition, the Lady Raiders also had to contend with the fact that the
team's leading scorer, sophomore forward Lauren Beckley (Fairfield/Fairfield),
who came in averaging a PSAC-best 22.4 points, was hampered by foul trouble.
The reigning PSAC Western Division Player of the Week was held to just nine
points while picking up four fouls in a season-low 26 minutes.
The game marked just the second time in 34 career contests that Beckley finished
with less than 10 points, ending a 14-game streak. She was held to just four
points in a 62-58 overtime loss at California (Pa.) on Jan. 24, 2007. Beckley
did not even attempt a shot in 14 first half minutes and was held scoreless
in a half for the first time in her career.
Gardner and junior forward Elise Mercer (Bishopville, Md./Stephen
Decator) both finished the game with 15 points, one short of
their career-highs. The two had nearly identical stat lines with Gardner
totaling 15 points, seven rebounds,
two assists and three steals in 34 minutes while Mercer had 15 points, six
rebounds, two assists and three steals in 37 minutes.
Meanwhile, Gardner
was 5-of-13 from the floor and Mercer was 6-of-14.
Despite Shippensburg's offensive struggles, it totaled 22 points off of 19
Golden Lion turnovers and held them to just 50 points. During the team's
four-game winning streak, the Lady Raiders have held opponents to just 54.5
points.
With the score tied at 18-18 with 3:32 left in the first half, the Lady Raiders
went on a 10-2 run to close the half with an eight-point halftime lead, 28-20.
Then, Shippensburg opened the second half on a 28-10 run in the first 10
minutes, matching its entire first half total. All totaled, from the 3:32
mark of the first half, to the 10:10 mark of the second, the Lady Raiders
outscored Dowling 38-12 over a stretch of 13:22.
Senior guard Megan Fogle (Roaring Spring/Eastern York) added 12 points in
the victory to move past Ellen Banick (1990-94) on the school's career scoring
list with 1,115. She also added a season-high seven rebounds.
Molly Tubridy scored a game-high 16 points to lead Dowling (1-7) who lost
its seventh-straight game and third to a PSAC school this season after losses
to Millersville and Mansfield.
Shippensburg concludes action at the ESU Rotary Classic on Saturday when
its takes on Seton Hill at 1:00 p.m.
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Lady Raider Basketball -
