Boxscore

Sarah Pastorek (Johnstown/Bishop McCort) scored a career-high 28 points and added 10 rebounds, and Lacey Claar (Imler, Pa./Claysburg-Kimmel) and Eryn Withers (Burtonsville, Md./Springbrook) combined for 31 points to lead IUP to a 76-55 victory over La Roche in its home opener Monday at Memorial Field House.

Pastorek hit 14 of 18 from the field to eclipse her previous career high of 25 established as a freshman last year vs. Slippery Rock. She scored 16 points in the first half to help the Crimson Hawks (1-2) open up a 33-18 lead at the break.

Claar scored 17 points, dished out seven assists and made three of IUP's 11 steals. Nine of her points came on three 3-pointers which raised her career total in that department to 164, just six shy of Katie Glaws' school record. Withers finished with 14 points, four assists and a pair of steals.

Chantelle Jennings led La Roche (4-1) with 18 points and Jessica Pitts followed with 12 points and eight rebounds. Chloe' Stewart dished out five assists. The Redhawks committed 26 turnovers to 17 for IUP, and the Crimson Hawks capitalized on the La Roche mistakes by scoring 31 points off turnovers.

Other than Pastorek, who was 8 of 10 from the field in the first half, IUP struggled offensively, with the rest of the team combining to make only 5 of 24 shots. Still, the Crimson Hawks were able to build their 15-point halftime lead by holding La Roche to 28.6 percent shooting over the opening 20 minutes and forcing 15 turnovers.

IUP was much more efficient after intermission, hitting 51.4 percent from the floor. Claar scored 12 of her points in the second half including a 3-pointer three and a half minutes into the period to build the Crimson Hawk lead to 45-26.

On La Roche's next possession, freshman Chelsea Gieringer (Oley, Pa./Oley Valley) came up with one of her three blocked shots which turned into a Katelyn Marshall (Bowie, Md./Elizabeth Seton) bucket on the other end to give IUP its largest margin of the game at 21. Gieringer also finished with nine rebounds in her first home game as a Crimson Hawk.

The Redhawks got as close as 47-34 on a layup by Pitts at the 11:06 mark, but the Crimson Hawks responded behind Pastorek and Claar to end any La Roche upset thoughts, with the duo combining to score 11 straight IUP points. When the run ended on a 3 by Claar with 8:42 left, IUP's lead was back up to 58-38.

IUP stays home for a rematch with District of Columbia Friday at 7:00. The Crimson Hawks dropped a 69-61 decision to the Firebirds in the season opener two weeks ago.