Gallery: (12-6-2024) 2024-25 Women's Basketball vs. UPJ
SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - The Shippensburg University women's basketball team picked up its first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) win of the season with a strong, balanced scoring effort against Pitt-Johnstown Friday afternoon at Heiges Field House, 74-59.
Shippensburg (3-5, 1-2 PSAC) shot a season-high 51.9% from the field, including a gaudy 64.3% (9-for-14) in the fourth quarter, to surge past the Mountain Cats. A total of five Raiders reached double figures in scoring, and SU outscored UPJ 43-27 in the second half.
Senior
Abbie Miller filled up the stat sheet in the Raider victory. She tallied a game-high 16 points on 50% shooting (7-for-14), and added nine rebounds, three assists, three steals and a blocked shot.
Pitt-Johnstown (1-8, 0-3) scored the game's first eight points, plunging the hosts into an early deficit. Ship responded with an 11-0 run of its own, capped by a
Bella Chimienti three-pointer, to nudge its way in front, 11-10.
The game remained close at halftime, with the Mountain Cats clinging to a 32-31 edge. The visitors extended their lead to as many as six points midway through the third quarter.
A pair of freshman,
McKenzie Thomas and
Michelle Olak, sparked the Raider second-half surge.
Thomas scored five points during a 30-second stretch on her way to a career high ten in the ballgame.
Olak followed with a three-point play to give the Raiders a 43-42 lead. She totaled six straight points, including a layup a few trips later that put SU up for good, 47-43. Olak finished with a near double-double of 11 points and eight rebounds. She was perfect from the field (4-for-4) and from the free throw line (3-for-3).
The Raiders opened up a decisive advantage during a dominant final 10 minutes.
Senior
Taja Colbert had the SU offense running on all cylinders, totaling 10 points and a career-high matching seven assists, and SU held its largest lead of 15 points as the final buzzer sounded.
The Raiders' 17 assists in the contest matched a season high. SU outscored UPJ 46-22 in the paint, while the efforts of Olak, Thomas and
Abbie Johns (seven points) resulted in a season-best 28 bench points.
Chimienti added 14 points, six boards and three assists for SU, while Colbert totaled four steals defensively.
The Raiders are back in action Saturday when they host No. 6 Gannon at 1 p.m. at Heiges Field House.
