SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University women's basketball team rallied from a 14-point deficit in the second half on Saturday to take a four-point lead in the fourth quarter, but the Raiders could not hang on in dropping a 70-66 decision to visiting Millersville in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) showdown from Heiges Field House.
 
Shippensburg (1-12, 0-7 PSAC) had all five of its starters score seven or more points, including three in double figures. Freshman Ariel Jones led the Raiders with 22 points, including four three-pointers, to go along with a career-high nine rebounds. She also had three assists and three steals.
 
Jones has posted double figures in all 13 games this season; Saturday was her ninth game with at least 20 points.
 
Freshman Kasey Engle scored a career-high 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Engle had not made more than two field goals in a game prior to Saturday. She matched her career high with six rebounds – including five on the offensive glass – to go along with two steals.
 
Freshman Kryshell Gordy maintained her strong play of late with seven points, nine rebounds and a career-high six assists. Gordy is the first SU player to finish with at least six points, six rebounds and six assists in a game since Logan Snyder in last year's season opener (44 games).
 
Senior Kristin McGeough totaled 10 points, six rebounds and three blocks. It is the sixth time this season McGeough posted double figures, and also the sixth time she has finished a game with multiple blocks.
 
Senior Victoria Blackburn had nine points and tied her career high with six assists. It is the fifth straight game Blackburn has scored nine or more points, and the fourth time in her career she has handed out six assists.
 
SU trailed by 12 points at halftime but chipped away at its deficit by outscoring Millersville (6-6, 3-5) in the third quarter, 20-12. The Raiders then opened the fourth quarter with an 8-0 run to take their first lead, 55-51, with 7:38 to play. However, the Marauders immediately countered with a 9-0 run over the next four minutes to establish a 60-55 advantage.
 
The Raiders scored on their next three possessions, capped off by a jumper from freshman Ireland Pelletier, to tie the score 62-62 with 1:52 remaining. Trailing by two points in the final minute, Victoria Blackburn was fouled on a three-point play and made 2-of-3 free throws with 40 seconds left to once again tie the game.
 
Over the next two possessions for Millersville, both McGeough and Victoria Blackburn were forced to the sidelines after committing their fifth fouls. Shippensburg trailed by three points with 22 seconds to play, but a turnover ended the chances for a rally.
 
Millersville finished 15-of-16 (93.8 percent) at the free-throw line, with its only miss coming in the final 10 seconds of play. The Marauders were in position for the win in large part to their tremendous start, as the visitors shot 73 percent from the field in the opening quarter and had assists on 8-of-11 field goals in the first 10 minutes of play.
 
The Raiders shot 50 percent in each of the final two quarters, finishing the game 42 percent overall from the floor. SU posted a positive assist-to-turnover ratio for the first time since the season opener, totaling 18 assists compared to 17 turnovers.
 
Shippensburg heads north to Berks County on Monday for a 5:30 p.m. matchup at Kutztown.