Gallery: (11-9-2024) 2024 Women's Basketball vs. Lincoln
SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University women's basketball team wrapped up its season-opening Conference Challenge tournament Saturday night with a victory over Lincoln at Heiges Field House, 64-51.
Shippensburg (1-1) shook off a slow start thanks to a hot shooting night from beyond the arc. The Raiders went 5-for-7 (71.4%) from three in the second quarter and 10-for-21 (47.6%) from beyond for the game. Sophomore
Bella Chimienti proceeded to take over in the fourth quarter, finishing the game with a game-high 18 points and cementing SU's first victory.
Lincoln (0-2) saw early success thanks to its full court pressure defense, and the Lions led by its biggest margin, 19-12, after Anyssa Fields drained a triple to start the second quarter. Fields finished with a team-best 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting.
Soon after, sophomore
Mia Johnson and freshman
Rylee Kraft caught fire. The tandem combined for five second quarter three pointers, allowing the hosts to quickly turn the deficit into a SU lead.
Johnson capped the hot-shooting stretch with a triple that pushed the SU advantage to seven points, 33-26, with 26 seconds left in the half.
Johnson finished 5-for-7 from three-point range for 15 points. She also added four assists. Kraft went 2-for-3 from distance, finishing with eight points.
The Lions were able to stay within striking distance, and cut the deficit to just four points, 43-39, after a Fields jumper with 6:02 remaining in the contest.
Chimienti answered with a layup on the Raiders' next possession for the first of her 14 fourth quarter points, a run that helped SU to their largest lead of thirteen points down the stretch.
Senior
Taja Colbert rounded out the SU players in double digits with 10 points and three assists.
Colbert, Johnson, Talia Trotter (Fayetteville State), Morgan Graham (Fayetteville State), Anyssa Fields (Lincoln) and Abbey Hearn (Kutztown) were each named to the Conference Challenge All-Tournament Team. Trotter, who led the Broncos to a 2-0 record, was named Conference Challenge MVP.
Shippensburg returns to action at 2 p.m. Saturday when it hosts Holy Family at Heiges Field House.
