Box Score

INDIANA, PA - Sarah Pastorek (Johnstown/Bishop McCort) scored a team-high 14 points to go along with eight rebounds while clutch threes by the Crimson Hawks in the second half led 20th-ranked IUP to a 65-57 victory over Mercyhurst in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division women's basketball matchup on Saturday night at the Kovalchick Complex.

The victory put the Crimson Hawks at 14-4 in the division, clinching a spot in the PSAC tournament.

The treys came from Marita Mathe (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana), Leslie Stapleton (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) and Arika Ullman (Baltimore, MD/Seton Keough), the Crimson Hawks three-point specialists, which held off late surges by the Lakers.

Although Mercyhurst was efficient from the floor, connecting on 52.8 percent (19-of-36) of its shots, the Crimson Hawks forced the Lakers into 27 turnovers, which helped as IUP shot just 38.9 percent (21-of-54) from the field.

The Lakers (11-11, 9-9) started out hot, scoring 10 of the game's first 12 points and then took a 15-5 lead with just under 12 minutes to play in the first half.

IUP would strike back, using a traditional three-point play by Pastorek in the paint to jumpstart a 12-0 run as the Crimson Hawks took a 17-15 lead less than five minutes later, with a three by Amy Fairman (Creekside, Pa. /Marion Center) at the 7:26 mark gave IUP its first lead of the game.

Mercyhurst came back to regain the lead on a three by Megan Hoffman and would go on to lead 19-17 after a free throw by Nikki Frederickson, but a jumper by Fairman and a pair of free throws by Pastorek put IUP in front by two as the Crimson Hawks ended up going into halftime with a 25-22 lead.

The Crimson Hawks would jump out of the gate in the second half, using back-to-back threes by Ullman and Mathe to take a 31-22 lead a little over a minute in. IUP built its lead to 10 at 37-27 at the 15:18 mark on free throws by Pastorek, but the Lakers scored eight of the next 11 points to cut their deficit to five at 40-35 three minutes later.

After a free throw by Dana Banda at 9:15 made it a 42-36 game in favor of IUP, Stapleton came right down the floor and drained a triple to put the Crimson Hawks on top by nine. The Lakers would hang around, but every time they would get close, the Crimson Hawks came up with a big play to keep Mercyhurst at bay.

The Lakers would cut it to four at 61-57 with 27 seconds remaining, but clutch foul shots by Ullman and Fairman in the final seconds helped seal the win, and the tournament berth, for the Crimson Hawks.

Frederickson and Hoffman each played the entire game for the Lakers, scoring 16 and 13 points, respectively. Kaylee Foster came off the bench to add 10 for the Lakers in the losing cause.

In addition to her 14 points and eight rebounds, Pastorek added four assists and three steals in her 34 minutes on the court. Mathe knoced down 3-of-6 three-point tries en route to 13 points, adding four assists and a pair of steals, while Ashley Stoner (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Thomas Jefferson) notched 12 points and five rebounds for IUP.

The Crimson Hawks (18-4 overall) are back in action on Wednesday, as they look to redeem themselves with a trip to second-ranked and undefeated Edinboro. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.