The Shippensburg University women's basketball team could not overcome a hot start by West Chester on Wednesday night, dropping a 79-65 decision to the host Golden Rams in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) matchup from Hollinger Field House.
 
Shippensburg (7-20, 5-15 PSAC) fell behind 21-10 after the first quarter and trailed by 16 points at halftime, 42-26. The Raiders out-scored West Chester (22-4, 19-3) by 11 points in the third quarter, closing the frame on a 10-4 run to make it 54-49 entering the fourth, but WCU responded with a 17-6 run to take control.
 
Freshman Ariel Jones led all players with 26 points, finishing 10-of-16 from the field including 3-of-5 from three-point range. It is her 15th game this season with 20 or more points.
 
Jones, who already holds the PSAC freshman scoring record, moved into ninth on the SU single-season scoring list with 588 points. She is vying to become the 21st player in PSAC history to score 600 or more points in a season.
 
Freshman Kryshell Gordy narrowly missed a double-double with nine points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Gordy was 4-of-8 from the field and had three assists, two blocks and two steals. She posted double-digit rebounds for the eighth time this season.
 
Senior Kristin McGeough also finished 4-of-8 from the field en route to eight points, four rebounds and two assists. Freshman Kasey Engle had eight points and four assists, while senior Victoria Blackburn had five points and three assists.
 
Off the bench, redshirt-sophomore Gabriela Blackburn scored five points, while freshman Lili Benzel totaled two points and matched a career high with five rebounds.
 
SU's run coming out of halftime continued a trend in which the team has exceled in the third quarter. Overall, the Raiders have posted a +57 scoring margin in the third quarter this season.
 
Shippensburg hosts Bloomsburg at 1 p.m. Saturday to complete the regular season. McGeough and Victoria Blackburn will be recognized in a pre-game Senior Day ceremony.
 
With a victory, Shippensburg will clinch the Eastern Division No. 6 seed in the PSAC Tournament. The Raiders remain one game ahead of Mansfield, who lost to Bloomsburg on Wednesday night. SU would also clinch a playoff berth with a Mansfield loss on Saturday at Cheyney.