SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University women's basketball team outscored Shepherd over the final three quarters on Wednesday night but could not overcome a lopsided first quarter, falling to the Rams by a score of 81-75 in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division contest at Heiges Field House.

Shippensburg (8-7, 4-5 PSAC) scored the first bucket of the game before Shepherd (12-2, 6-2) countered with a 17-2 run in less than four minutes. SU trailed by 15 points after the first quarter (29-14) but was able to get within 11 points at halftime.  
 
SU's deficit was still double digits entering the fourth quarter before the Raiders went on a 7-0 run midway through the frame to get within six points of the lead, 67-61. SU would get as close as five points down the stretch, but Shepherd's Abby Beeman scored 12 of her game-high 37 points in the final 2:30, including five free throws in the last 24 seconds, to seal the victory.
 
Senior Destiny Jefferson led the Raiders with a Shippensburg career high of 29 points, the second-most points that she has scored in a game in her career. She also added four rebounds and three assists and was 6-of-6 from the line.
 
Freshman Taja Colbert added 11 points, her fourth game in double figures this season, as well as tying her career high with three steals while only committing one turnover.
 
Junior Lauren Pettis was the third Raider in double figures, finishing with 11 points. She tied her career high with five blocks, added six rebounds, and was 3-of-4 from the line. Fellow junior Lauren Mills contributed five rebounds, three assists and just one turnover.
 
Sophomore Treasure George went 2-of-3 from behind the arc and finished with eight points and three rebounds.
 
Off the bench, redshirt-junior Erin Gibbons scored her most points as a Raider with nine. She added three rebounds and two assists. Freshman Eve Nealon scored a career-high four points and had a steal.
 
The Raiders ended the night with a 32-27 rebound advantage.  
 
Shepherd was led by Beeman, who scored a season-high 37 points – one point shy away of her career high – and 10 assists for her second double-double of the year. Eight of those assists came in the first half. Sydney Clayton had 16 points, three assists and three blocks. Marley McLaughlin had 15 points and three steals.
 
Shippensburg is back in action at 1 p.m. Saturday vs. Lock Haven at Heiges Field House.