SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University women's basketball team used a 17-4 third quarter run to come back from a 13-point deficit but couldn't hold on as it fell to Point Park in a nonconference battle Wednesday evening in Heiges Field House, 56-50.
 
Shippensburg (1-2) held Point Park (1-0) to an opponent-low 29.9 field goal percentage, its third straight opponent held under 35 percent. The Raiders came alive offensively in the third quarter, shooting 8-of-17 from the field (47.1 percent) to overtake the Pioneers before faltering down the stretch.
                                                           
Six SU players netted at least six points, including a team-high 11 from Abbie Johns. McKenzie Thomas also reached double figures, finishing with 10. Makayla Foddrell collected a career-high 13 rebounds.
 
A close first quarter ended with a five-point play from Point Park's Alexis Giles – a made three-pointer followed by two made free throws on a foul after the shot – give the visitors some separation, 19-13.
 
The visitors led 29-20 at halftime, and four straight Pioneer points to start the third stretched the margin to 13, 33-20.
 
A Melana Eyer and-one lay-up cut the deficit back to single digits midway through the third, 35-26, which kickstarted the Raider run.
 
Baskets from Thomas, Foddrell, Kiara Hardy and Eyer trimmed the deficit further. With 37 seconds remaining in the frame, Thomas was fouled from behind draining a foul line jumper. The three-point play capped the 17-4 surge and gave SU its first lead since the opening minutes, 40-39.
 
Shippensburg led as late as midway through the fourth quarter courtesy a Lauren Marton lefty scoop, which staked the hosts to a one-point advantage with 5:18 left.
 
Giles answered with a three on the opposite end to give the Pioneers back the lead, 48-46, and the Pioneers embarked on a 9-2 run over the next four minutes to escape with the victory.
 
Giles converted 3-of-4 from beyond the arc on her way to a game-high 14 points. Point Park's Lexi Adams flirted with a triple-double, totaling 13 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.
 
The Raiders return to action Monday at Bowie State at 5:30 p.m.