SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - Freshman forward Lauren Beckley (Fairfield/Fairfield) had 24 points and nine rebounds while red-shirt freshman Jenny Cunningham (McVeytown/Lewistown) had 18 points, two shy of her career-high to lead the Shippensburg women's basketball team to a 69-63 victory over Clarion at Heiges Field House on Saturday.

Over 1,000 fans were in attendance this afternoon as the game was broadcasted live on the internet by College Sports Televsion (CSTV). In July, the NCAA announced a three-year regular-season television and broadband partnership with CSTV that will showcase select Division II football and men's and women's basketball games live, beginning with coverage in the 2006 fall and 2007 winter seasons.

The last time Shippensburg (13-5, 3-0 PSAC West) started PSAC Western Division play with three consecutive wins was the 2000-01 season in which the team opened with a 6-0 record before losing to Indiana (Pa.) at home, 60-50 on February 7. The Lady Raiders finished conference play with a mark of 10-2 that year.

Trailing 11-10 with 12:41 remaining, Lady Raider sophomore guard Elise Mercer (Bishopville, Md./Stephen Decator) scored on a lay-up 19 seconds later to give Shippensburg a one-point lead that it would never relinquish.

With the game tied for the second time at 17-17 with 6:41 left in the first half, the Lady Raiders (13-5, 3-0 PSAC West) ended the half on a 10-2 to run to take a 27-19 lead at halftime. During the run, Shippensburg forced seven turnovers and held the Golden Eagles to just 1-of-6 shooting from the floor.

Beckley and Cunningham combined for 14 of the Lady Raiders' 27 first half points while the team held Clarion to 36.4-percent shooting and forced 12 turnovers.

Shippensburg, who led by as many as 13 points in the second half, snapped a three-game losing streak to the Golden Eagles, earning its first victory in the series since Feb. 7, 2005. It also snapped a three-game regular-season home losing streak dating back to a 64-55 victory on Feb. 2, 2002. The two teams did not play at Heiges Field House during the 2002-03 season.

Cunningham tied a career-high with eight rebounds while junior guard Megan Fogle (Wrightsville/Eastern York) added nine points. Freshman guard Michelle Metz (Pottstown/Pottsville) tied a career-high with seven points and had four steals and two assists.

Clarion (6-11, 1-2 PSAC West), who outscored Shippensburg 42-24 in points in the paint, was led by Ashley Grimm and Katrina Greer who each had 14 points. Grimm also added five assists, four rebounds and six steals.

The Lady Raiders travel to California (Pa.) on Wednesday for a 6:00 p.m., tip-off in Hamer Hall looking to snap a five-game losing streak to the Vulcans. The last win for Shippensburg against California (Pa.) came at home on Feb. 21, 2004 when the Lady Raiders handed the Vulcans their only loss in a 35-1 national championship season. The last win for Shippensburg at Hamer Hall came on Jan. 19, 2000.