Gallery: (12-31-2024) 2024-25 WBB vs. Chestnut Hill
SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University women's basketball team held on down the stretch Tuesday to post a 65-58 victory over Chestnut Hill in a New Year's Eve non-conference matinee at Heiges Field House.
Shippensburg (5-6) outscored Chestnut Hill (5-8) 21-9 in the first quarter, building and maintaining a lead through the rest of the game. It was not without suspense in the second half, as the Griffins opened the third quarter on an 8-0 run and got within two points of the Raiders, 37-35, with 16 minutes left.
SU stretched its lead to six points at the end of the third quarter and led by 12 points, 58-46, with 5:37 to go. The Griffins once again countered, as an 11-2 run got the visitors within three points, 60-57, with 43 seconds left. After a timeout, the Raiders executed a play that resulted in an "and-one" layup for sophomore
Bella Chimienti with 17 seconds left that sealed the victory.
Senior
Taja Colbert stepped up for the Raiders with a season-high 18 points, finishing 7-of-12 from the field. It was Colbert's fourth straight game in double figures and the seventh time this season she has scored 10 or more points. Her three three-pointers tied a career high. She added three assists and three rebounds and was just two points shy of her career best.
Junior forward
Makayla Foddrell was integral off the bench for the Raiders and delivered the best offensive performance of her career. Foddrell played a season-high 22 minutes and posted double figures for the first time, finishing with a career-high 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting and 2-of-4 at the free-throw line. She also grabbed five rebounds and had a block. Her four field goals surpassed her previous career high of two, which she had achieved on 14 occasions.
Sophomore
Mia Johnson scored a season-high 16 points, marking her fourth time in double figures through six games played this season. Johnson contributed eight points in each half and added two rebounds, two assists and a career-high two blocks.
Senior
Abbie Miller led all players with nine rebounds; it was her fourth straight game with at least nine rebounds. Miller made three free throws, recorded three steals and had two assists.
Chimienti finished with seven points, six rebounds and five assists without committing a turnover in a team-high 35 minutes. Freshman
Abbie Johns added six points, including a 4-of-4 effort at the free-throw line, while freshman
Michelle Olak contributed five points and four rebounds.
Chestnut Hill got a career-high 18 points off the bench from Tiayo Adelekan but was undone by its ball-handling, committing 25 turnovers to Shippensburg's 12. The Griffins set a school record by blocking 12 shots, which is the most blocks in a game by a Raider opponent in eight years.
Bench scoring was key for both teams, as 43 percent of the game's points were achieved by reserves (32 for CHC, 21 for SU). Both teams shot less than 40 percent from the field (Chestnut Hill 37.5 percent, Shippensburg 34.3 percent) and combined to shoot 6-of-24 (25 percent) from three-point range. The Griffins out-rebounded the Raiders, 46-39.
Shippensburg is back in action at 5:30 p.m. Friday when it begins the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division portion of its schedule at Millersville.
