Box Score

WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Despite scoring 16 consecutive second-half points and cutting an 18-point deficit to just two with 4:22 remaining, the Shippensburg University women's basketball team was unable to finish off West Chester, falling 63-58 from Hollinger Field House on Wednesday night.

Junior Shawna Wert led the Raiders (7-8, 4-7 PSAC) in scoring, pouring in 14 points to go along with three assists and three rebounds. Junior Caitlin Bamberger went 5-of-10 from the floor to score 13 points in addition to nine rebounds – her seventh game this season with at least 10 points and eight rebounds.

Sophomore Sarah Strybuc scored five key late points on back-to-back possessions to close an eight-point deficit to just three, as she finished with nine points, three assists and three rebounds.

Senior Monae Baker posted seven points and seven rebounds while sophomore Raediah Lyles scored five points to go along with a career-high three steals off the bench. Senior Lindsay Howard also added four points and three rebounds.

West Chester (12-3, 8-3 PSAC) went on an early 8-0 run to go up 12-4 just over eight minutes into the contest. Later, down 22-16 with six minutes left in the half, Shippensburg went on a 5-0 run of its own to close the deficit to 22-21.

With just under a minute left in the half, the Raiders grabbed their first lead after Shawna Wert scored on a layup while drawing the foul. She made the subsequent free throw to give SU a 31-30 lead.

Golden Rams' leading scorer Allison Hostetter drained a jumper on the next possession to give WCU a 32-31 advantage going into the break.

The Raiders again briefly held the lead in the beginning of the second half after two quick free throws from Bamberger. But the Golden Rams kicked off a 15-0 run to open up a 14-point, 47-33 lead at the 12:38 mark of the second half.

WCU's lead later stretched to 18, with the Raiders staring at a 53-35 deficit with 8:20 left in regulation. But for the next four minutes it was all Shippensburg, as five different SU players contributed to a 16-0 run – with a three-pointer from Shawna Wert the final points of the streak – to close the deficit to just two, 53-51, with 4:22 on the clock

West Chester extended the lead back to eight over the next two minutes, but a jumper and three-pointer from Strybuc on consecutive possessions closed the margin to three with 1:36 on the clock.

The Raiders forced turnovers on the Golden Rams' next two possessions, allowing junior Dana Wert a game-tying three-point attempt that was no good with just nine seconds on the clock.

Shippensburg will host East Stroudsburg at 1 p.m. Saturday from Heiges Field House.