Box Score

EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. - Junior forward Kasey Gardner became the 17th player in Shippensburg women's basketball history to surpass 1,000 career points on Saturday afternoon from Koehler Fieldhouse but the Shippensburg women's basketball team could not complete a second-half comeback against East Stroudsburg, falling 58-55 to the Warriors.

Shippensburg (8-10, 1-1 PSAC East) got a game-high 20 points from Gardner, a total that included 11 free throws, but the team shot just 30 percent from the field in the contest and made just 64 percent of its attempts from the free-throw line. Gardner, through 73 career games, has totaled 1,015 points, an average of 13.9 per contest.

East Stroudsburg (3-12, 1-1 PSAC East) built an early 12-4 lead in the game by shooting 5-of-8 from the floor and forcing five turnovers by the first media timeout of the game. The Warriors hit the boards strong, out-rebounding the Lady Raiders by a 26-18 margin in the first half, and held a 34-28 lead at intermission.

Adversity hit Shippensburg early in the final frame, as senior Lauren Beckley was whistled for two fouls in the opening 2:10 of the second half. As a result, the senior forward had collected four fouls with a majority of the second half still to play and was forced to take a seat on the bench. ESU built an 11-point lead with 12:15 remaining, a margin that SU reduced to six points at the 10:33 mark.

The Warrior advantage grew back to 11 points however, as ESU held a 51-42 lead with 7:44 to go. Beckley re-entered the game after a timeout and sank a layup on the ensuing possession. After an ESU turnover, Beckley converted another layup to jumpstart the offense. SU crept within six points of the lead, but second-chance opportunities for the Warriors continued to keep the Lady Raiders at bay.

A huge possession occurred with 2:36 remaining, as sophomore Kaitlin Capriccio drew a foul that sent ESU post player Alexa Detzi to the bench with her fifth of the game. Capriccio made the first free throw, missed the second but grabbed the offensive rebound and threw it to sophomore guard Erin Varley for a three-pointer that got Shippensburg within four points, 57-53.

With 1:21 to go and still down four points, Beckley tried a three-pointer that came up short. An offensive foul by East Stroudsburg with 1:09 left on the clock put the ball back in the hands of the Lady Raiders. Beckley missed another three-point attempt but Gardner grabbed the rebound and was fouled. She hit both, bringing SU within two points at the 45-second mark.

Shippensburg's defense forced a three-point shot by the Warriors that went awry, but Capriccio missed a jumper at the other end with seven seconds to go. ESU was fouled with four seconds left on the clock and made just 1-of-2, but the Lady Raiders could not get a chance to tie the score before the horn sounded.

Free-throw shooting and fouls were once again a significant factor in the contest. On Saturday, Shippensburg was sent to the line 36 times, making 23 attempts. Overall, the teams combined for 45 fouls, 47 turnovers and 54 free-throw attempts. In the previous meeting between the two teams, a non-conference affair at the Pocono Classic on December 3, SU and ESU combined for 50 fouls, 50 turnovers and 74 free-throw attempts.

Beckley finished with 10 points and six rebounds, while Capriccio came close to her career high with nine points to go along with five rebounds. Redshirt freshman forward Caitlin Bamberger added seven points and three rebounds off the bench.

The Lady Raiders return home for a 6 p.m. contest on Wednesday against the Marauders of Millersville, that was ranked No. 2 in the PSAC Preseason Eastern Division Coaches Poll. Millersville (12-3) is receiving votes in the national coaches poll and has won both of its Eastern Division games thus far.

Notes: Freshman guard Morgan Taylor returned to the lineup after missing five games due to injury...she had two steals and a rebound in eight minutes off the bench...due to foul trouble, Beckley's 26 minutes are the fewest she has played in a game since her sophomore year (23 vs. Slippery Rock on Feb. 23, 2008)...it was the 16th time in Gardner's career she has scored 20 or more points and the seventh time this season...SU is now 0-6 this season when scoring 60 points or less...ESU's 58 points are the fewest by a winning team against SU since IUP earned a 55-48 victory over the Lady Raiders in the 2008 PSAC Tournament.