Box Score

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - The Shippensburg women's basketball team converted 33 of its 39 attempts from the free-throw line in its season opener on Saturday afternoon against the University of the District of Columbia en route to an 84-64 victory in game two of the 2008 Wolf's Bus Lines Classic.

Shippensburg (1-0) registered its most free throws in a game since Jan. 22, 2003 and finished the game shooting 48.9 percent from the field. Three players finished in double figures, with junior Lauren Beckley leading all scorers by totaling 28 points.

Freshman Erin Varley impressed in her debut, earning the start and finishing with 13 points and eight assists in 35 minutes of action. Varley made three of her four 3-point attempts and exhibited poise from the point position in her first collegiate game.

Senior guard Elise Mercer broke through for 18 points on 5-of-9 shooting while making all eight of her free-throw attempts in the contest. Sophomore Kasey Gardner contributed five points and five rebounds while junior Michelle Metz finished with four points and three assists.

Down low, the Lady Raiders used a steady rotation of post players to battle preseason honorable mention All-American Lillian McGill of the Firebirds. Freshman Kaitlin Capriccio started and finished strong with eight points and seven rebounds, while fellow freshmen Jenn Morrow and Caitlin Bamberger combined for 24 minutes in their debuts.

UDC (0-1), the reigning Independent School Division II National Champions after posting an overall record of 21-8 last year, received 20 points and 14 rebounds from McGill but the rest of the team shot just 31 percent from the field. Nicole Cooper contributed 11 points, while LaQuanda Brandon finished with 10.

With 3:13 remaining in the first half, the Firebirds trailed the Lady Raiders by just two points, 27-25. Shippensburg finished the half on a 9-0 run to lead by 11 points and extended its lead to as many as 22 points in the second half.

Ten different players scored for the Lady Raiders on Saturday. Varley, Capriccio, Morrow, Lindsay Howard and Shannon Stokes all scored their first collegiate points in the contest, while junior Sheila Wasser came off the bench and delivered two points and one steal.

Shippensburg returns to action tomorrow against the University of Charleston at 3 p.m. from Heiges Field House. The Golden Eagles defeated East Stroudsburg in game one of the Classic by a 74-60 score.