Box Score

ERIE, PA - Amy Fairman (Creekside, Pa. /Marion Center) and Marita Mathe (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) each scored a game-high 21 points as the IUP women's basketball team outlasted Mercyhurst 72-64 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action Saturday afternoon.

The 21 points was a career-high for Fairman, who shot a sparkling 8-of-12 from the floor and grabbed four rebounds.

Mathe was 7-of-16 from the field for her 21 points in a game-high 39 minutes of action. Zhane Brooks (Erie, Pa. /Villa Maria) and Lindsay Stamp (Erie, Pa. /Mercyhurst Prep) each added seven points for IUP, while Marina Wareham (New Wilmington, Pa. /Kennedy Catholic) finished with six points, two boards and two assists.

The Crimson Hawks (19-6, 14-5 PSAC) would lead by as much as nine midway through the first half, but a Mercyhurst run would slice the lead to just one with over two minutes to play in the period. After a pair of Lisa Burton (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Penn Hills) free throws extended the lead to three, Alayna White deposited a freebie to trim the IUP lead to just 27-25 at the break.

The Lakers (7-16, 7-12 PSAC) would continue to chip away at the Crimson Hawks advantage early in the second stanza, eventually taking their first lead since the game's opening moments on a White layup with 10:45 to play in the game.

Fairman would not be denied, however, ripping off IUP's next ten points to regain the lead and swing momentum back in favor of the Crimson Hawks. Fairman scored 12 second half points, while Mathe tallied 10 points in the second.

Mercyhurst would make a final push late in the game when Lindsey Burke scored to trim the lead to just one with 2:07 remaining, but back-to-back layups from Stamp and Mathe would dash any hopes of an upset and send the Crimson Hawks to their 19th win of the season.

Kaylee Foster paced the Lakers with 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting, while White finished with 14 points and five rebounds. Taylor Krusinski added 10 points off the bench, and Adrienne Kloecker posted seven points, five boards and four assists.

The IUP defense was on full display all afternoon, forcing Mercyhurst to shoot just 45% from the floor and 3-of-17 from behind the arc. The Crimson Hawks also forced 22 Laker turnovers and tallied nine steals.

The Crimson Hawks return home this Wednesday to host Edinboro in an official “Black Out” promotion. Tipoff with the Fighting Scots is set for 5:30 p.m.