Somber day for SU
Sarah Strybuc had nine points for the Raiders in the PSAC quarterfinals.
Dana and Shawna Wert were met by Caitlin Bamberger near midcourt. Head coach Kristy Trn walked over toward Raediah Lyles and gave her a long embrace — tears filling both of their eyes.
For the seniors, it was a somber end for what was a promising season.
Millersville University came into Heiges Field House and dashed the Shippensburg University women’s basketball team PSAC title dreams on Tuesday night in a 62–42 shellacking that few could have predicted.
The Raider team that was on the court on Tuesday night was not the Raider team this university has seen throughout the year. Plagued by a dreadful ice-cold touch, the Raiders shot a woeful 22.8 percent from the field including a 3–21 effort from beyond the arc. SU’s 42 points was the lowest it had scored since a 40-point effort in a 70–40 drubbing at the hands of Bloomsburg University on Jan. 16.
Stephanie Knauer, who notched her 12th double-double in last Wednesday’s victory over MU, could not produce the same effort tonight. Aurielle Mosley, who Knauer did a tremendous job defending a week before, went off for a team-high 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Mosley’s effort was on full display in the first half. Mosley and Raider slayer Miesha Cousins came out of the gates ablaze, sparking the Marauders to an 8–2 run to open the game.
However, that run quickly toppled into SU’s hands.
SU saw its season end with a crushing 20-point defeat.
Stephanie Knauer had nine points for the Raiders in the defeat.
Sparked by brilliant play by the Werts, the Raiders retaliated with a 13–0 run to give them a 15–8 lead with 10:49 remaining. The two teams traded 6–0 runs in the next three minutes as SU took a 21–16 lead into a media timeout.
That is where it all fell apart.
Coming out of the timeout, MU, paced by six points from Carly Gallagher and five from Mosley, busted out a 14–0 run to retake the lead and head into the break leading 30–25.
The second half spelled more trouble for SU. The Raiders shot 18 percent from the field during the frame and allowed the Marauders to outscore them 19–5 in the first 13 minutes of the half. Shawna Wert and Knauer hit back-to-back buckets to pull the Raiders within 13, but MU would not release its stranglehold of the outcome.
Gallagher added another seven points including the dagger — rising up in front of a red adorned SU crowd and nailing a 3-pointer to give MU a 20-point cushion.
The Raiders, plagued by poor shooting all night, finished the second half 0–13 from beyond the arc and 13–20 from the free-throw line.
Shawna Wert had a team-high 13 points. Sarah Strybuc finished the game with nine points and a team-high two assists.
Gallagher finished the game with 15 points for the Marauders. MU will travel to BU on Friday night to face Gannon University — winners of a 77–50 clash against California University of Pa. The Huskies won their matchup against Kutztown University 81–52.
Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Slate.