ERIE, Pa. – The Shippensburg University women's basketball team fell to West Division No. 1 seed and Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Final Four hosts Gannon in a PSAC semifinal Saturday at the Highmark Events Center in Erie, 82-73.
 
Shippensburg (24-6) Senior Ariel Jones finished with 26 points in only 28 minutes, eclipsing the PSAC single season points record of 744 that was previously held by California (Pa.)'s Brooque Williams. Jones now has 755 single season points. Her 26 points marks her 18th time scoring 20 or more points this season, while adding five rebounds and an assist.
 
Junior Treasure George scored 16 points, including 13 points in the first half. This is her 20th double figure point total of the season. She also grabbed five rebounds and had two assists.
 
Graduate Lauren Pettis posted her 14th double-double with 13 points and 12 boards. She added two steals and an assist.
 
Despite the Raiders dealing with first half foul trouble and a hostile road crowd, they were able to cut the Gannon lead down to just four points on several occasions in the second half, but could not stop the PSAC West Athlete of the Year, Samantha Pirosko and company down the stretch.
 
Gannon (29-3), led by Pirosko's career-high tying 33 points, put up 82 points of offense – the highest individual and team totals allowed by the Raiders this season. Pirosko also posted 12 boards and 5 assists.
 
The Raiders, who scored a season-low 48 points in their only regular season meeting against the Golden Knights – a 65-48 loss at Gannon in December – got off to a fast start offensively against the PSAC's top defense, leading the hosts 12-6 midway through the opening quarter following a George three.
 
The game changed, however, when Jones picked up her second personal foul 4:56 left in the first quarter, relegating the PSAC East Athlete of the Year to the bench for most of the first half.
 
The Golden Knights took the lead soon after courtesy of a Pirosko three, and held a 21-17 edge after the first 10 minutes.
 
Baskets from George and sophomore Abbie Miller kept the score close in the early stages of the second quarter before a 12-0 Gannon run opened up a nine-point edge for the hosts at halftime, 42-33.
 
Jones came off the bench in the second half and quickly made her presence felt, draining a three that cut the margin to just four points, 44-40, with 6:57 remaining in the third quarter.
 
Gannon answered with a three-point make, and graduate Erin Gibbons responded with a three of her own to bring the Raiders back to with four.
 
The Golden Knights stayed hot, however, stretching the margin to double digits late in the third quarter before Miller provided the Raiders with an important basket to cut the margin to eight points entering the final frame, 59-51.
 
Pettis's hard work in the paint allowed the Raiders to trim the Gannon lead down to four twice more early in the fourth, and the margin was just five points, 69-64, with 3:06 left. But Pirosko poured in nine points in the final 2:52 of the contest to put the game out of reach.
 
Pirosko converted 13-of-18 shots from the field (72.2%) and went 2-for-2 from long range, while Gannon shot 48.3% from the field and 45.5% from three for the game.
 
The Golden Knights advance to take on California (Pa.) in Sunday's PSAC Championship game.
 
The Raiders now wait to find out where they will be headed in the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Selection Show will take place Sunday at 9 p.m.