SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - Junior forward Elise Mercer scored a career-high 21 points to lead four Lady Raiders in double figures, but it wasn't enough to overcome a hot-shooting California (Pa.) team as the Shippensburg University women's basketball team in a 100-74 loss Wednesday night at Heiges Field House.
The Vulcans (15-2, 2-0 PSAC West) scored a season-high 100 points after hitting 55.3 percent of their shots from the floor, including a blistering 62.9 percent in the first half.
The loss ended a seven-game home winning streak for the Lady Raiders (14-4, 2-1 PSAC West) who had also won six-straight overall. Shippensburg surrendered 100 points for the first time in nine seasons and 250 games under head coach Kristy Trn.
The last time the team allowed 100 points was back on March 18, 1998 in a 122-84 loss to Emporia State in the Elite Eight.
For Shippensburg, senior guard Megan Fogle made her 100th career start, finishing the game with 20 points, seven rebounds and three assists. It marked the fifth time this season that she has scored at least 20 points and the 16th in her career while her seven rebounds tied a season-high.
Fogle has started all 100 of the team's games during her career with the Lady Raiders, helping the team to 60 wins during that time. She has now totaled 1,288 career points, 112 from surpassing Vickie Mikesic for 11th on the school's all-time scoring list.
Despite the Vulcans hot-shooting in the first half, Shippensburg trailed by just six at halftime, 53-47, after making 15-of-16 attempts from the free throw line.
The Lady Raiders led by as many as eight, 20-12 with 13:20 remaining, before a 15-7 run by California tied the game at 27-27 just over four minutes later.
Fogle would put Shippensburg back in front by two after converting a steal into a fastbreak lay-up, but Amber Dubyak answered with a three-pointer to give the Vulcans their first lead of the game, 30-29 with 7:13 left. They would not trail again.
Kayla Smith, a five-time PSAC Western Division Player of the Week selection this season, led California with a game-high 25 points on 12-of-13 shooting. Smith has won the award five of the eight times it has been awarded with Shippensburg freshman forward Kasey Gardner earning the honor the other three times.
Gardner finished with 10 points and three rebounds in a matchup of the Western Division's top two newcomers.
Smith led five Vulcans in double figures as Brooque Williams had 23 points, nine rebounds and six assists and Dubyak finished with 17 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.
Meanwhile, Lady Raider sophomore forward Lauren Beckley quietly notched her fourth consecutive double double and 13th this season with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
California scored three-fifths of its points in the paint, totaling 60 while also adding 21 second chance points as it held a 45-33 advantage in rebounds.
Shippensburg will now embark on a five-game road trip which begins this Saturday when the team travels to Clarion. Tip-off from Tippin Gymnasium is at 1:00 p.m., with the game being broadcast live on Shippensburg University student radio station WSYC 88.7 FM and on the internet at raiders.ship.edu.
- Lady Raider Basketball -
