Box Score

ERIE, Pa. – The Shippensburg University women's basketball team returned to PSAC play with a physical, seesaw struggle on Friday night from the Mercyhurst Athletic Center but could not overcome the home-standing Lakers, dropping a 42-40 decision.

Both teams struggled mightily from the field – with Shippensburg shooting under 30 percent in both halves and Mercyhurst finishing just 34 percent from the floor, including a 3-for-21 proficiency from three-point range. No Laker players finished with more than eight points.

Shippensburg (5-6, 2-5 PSAC) got a game-high 14 points from junior Dana Wert, who hit a pair of three-pointers and was 6-of-8 from the free-throw line in the contest. Sophomore Sarah Strybuc added 11 points – all in the first half – going 3-for-5 from three-point range.

Neither team led by more than four points during the second half. SU tied the game with 5:10 remaining in regulation on the first bucket of the season by sophomore Codi McMaster after a pretty pass by junior Shawna Wert. Two minutes later, Shawna Wert gave SU the lead with a successful jumper.

Mercyhurst (6-5, 4-3) answered on the next possession with a jumper by Lindsey Burke and took the lead with 1:46 remaining when Burke drained a three-pointer. Shawna Wert got the Raiders within one point of the lead after a lay-up with 70 seconds left on the clock, but SU would not get any closer to the lead.

Shippensburg had three different chances to tie the game beginning with 28 seconds remaining but could not get the tying bucket to fall. Contact was made on two of Shawna Wert's shot attempts but both were deemed blocks by the officials.

SU returns to action at 5:30 p.m. Saturday from Slippery Rock.