Box Score

FAIRMONT, WV – Leslie Stapleton (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) was one of three players who scored in double-figures with 15 points for the Crimson Hawks as the IUP women's basketball team ran past Concord 72-44 in its 2012-13 season opener on Friday afternoon.

The contest was the opening game of the PSAC/WVIAC Challenge, hosted by Fairmont State.

Sarah Pastorek (Johnstown/Bishop McCort) scored 13 points for the Crimson Hawks while Marita Mathe (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) added 10 as IUP shot 49.1 percent (28-of-57) from the floor for the game.

IUP owned the first half of play, starting things with a seven point run after Concord scored the first bucket of the game. After another score by Concord made it 7-4, Mathe converted a foul shot before Lindsay Stamp (Erie, Pa. /Mercyhurst Prep) knocked down a three-pointer and Pastorek hit a jumper to put the Crimson Hawks up 13-4 less than six minutes into the game.

After two minutes of scoreless action, a layup by Ashley Stoner (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Thomas Jefferson) followed by a three by Talen Watson (Odenton, MD/Arundel) continued IUP's 11-0 run and advanced the score to 18-4 with just over 10 minutes to go before the break.

Concord cut its deficit back to 12 points twice over the next few minutes but a solid first half from Pastorek and key baskets from Stapleton, Watson and Mathe kept the Crimson Hawks in front by nearly 20.

Pastorek finished the first half with nine points on 4-of-6 shooting while grabbing five rebounds.

A three-pointer by Stapleton right out of the gate in the second half put IUP's lead back to 20 at 36-16, as it would only grow from there.

Stoner went to work, scoring IUP's next six points with a jumper in the paint and four free throws, giving the Crimson Hawks a 42-20 advantage just four minutes into the second. The lead would hover around 20 with Mathe, Stamp and Amy Fairman (Creekside, Pa. /Marion Center) all answering Concord scores with buckets of their own before a triple by Stapleton gave IUP a 25 point lead at 51-26 with 12:49 on the clock.

Stamp helped create a seven point run by the Crimson Hawks over the next 1:20, making the score 55-26.

Concord would cut the Crimson Hawks lead back down to 24 twice more, but not before IUP led by as many as 31 before the final horn sounded.

The Crimson Hawks were even more impressive in the second half, converting 51.7 percent of their field goal attempts and went 6-of-7 at the free throw line to outscore Concord 39-28.

IUP owned the advantage on the boards 46-30 while forcing 15 turnovers and finished 10-of-14 from the foul line. No single Concord player scored in double figures, combining to shoot 32.7 percent from the field.

Stapleton went 5-of-9 from the field, including 3-of-5 from three-point range in 24 minutes on the court. Fairman added four points, three rebounds, four assists and four steals while Stamp had an efficient nine points on 4-of-6 shooting in just 12 minutes off the bench.

Pastorek went 6-of-8 from the field and finished with five rebounds in 22 minutes of play. She'll enter Saturday with 998 career points and will look to become the 20th player in IUP history to reach the 1,000 point milestone.

The Crimson Hawks will wrap up the PSAC/WVIAC Challenge by playing host Fairmont State at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday.