INDIANA, Pa. – Senior guard Lauren Wolosik scored a team-high 17 points but a strong offensive effort by Seton Hill was too much for eighth-ranked IUP women's hoops as its Senior Night was spoiled with a 71-59 loss Saturday at the Kovalchick Complex.
 
The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division champions end their regular season with a 23-3 overall record and an 18-3 mark in the league.
 
Wolosik was one of four Crimson Hawks to score in double-figures, but as a team they shot just 38.7 percent (24-of-62) from the field. Also reaching double-figures were fellow seniors Carolyn Appleby and Brittany Robinson with 13 and 12 points, respectively. Sophomore Courtney Alexander came off the bench to score 10.
 
The playoff bound Griffins (18-10, 12-9 PSAC) shot just 40.7 percent from the field, but made 10 3-pointers and capitalized on their chances at the foul line with a 15-of-16 performance.
 
Seton Hill also won the battle of the boards 42 to 30.
 
The Griffins put on the pressure early, hitting three 3-pointers in the first three minutes of the game. IUP still held an 11-9 lead, but back-to-back missed field goal attempts on its end led to buckets for the Griffins as they went on a 7-0 run to go up 16-11.
 
Seton Hill built on that lead early in the second quarter, using an 11-2 run to go on top 29-18 midway through the second frame. Alexander gave the Crimson Hawks a spark with two straight buckets as they seemed to take momentum into half although they trailed 34-26.
 
Seniors took control in the third quarter as the Crimson Hawks outscored the Griffins 20-15. Wolosik scored seven points in the frame, while Robinson scored six, Appleby five, and Kendall Hunter two.
 
A pair of free throws from Wolosik made it a 2-point game at 36-34 with 5:52 to play in the third, the closest IUP had been since 2:08 to play in the first quarter. With 1:21 to play and the Griffins on top by seven points, Appleby and Wolosik drained back-to-back 3-pointers to cut Seton Hill's lead to 47-46. However, the Griffins' Megan Marecic converted a layup at the buzzer and it was back to a 3-point game headed to the final quarter.
 
A 3-pointer by Alexander with 6:34 to play tied the score at 53-53 and a jumper by Appleby a minute later put the Crimson Hawks on top by two. It was their first lead since the 6:40 mark of the first quarter.
 
Seton Hill answered with a 3-pointer to regain the lead and later scored 10 straight points to put the game out of the reach down the stretch.
 
2018-19 Senior Class
Prior to the game seniors Appleby, Wolosik, Robinson, Hunter and Ana Hollen were honored. This year's senior class is 98-23 over the last four seasons with two PSAC West regular season titles, a 2017 PSAC tournament championship, a 2018 NCAA Atlantic Region title and national semifinalist appearance and are on the verge of their fourth straight NCAA tournament appearance.
 
Notes
The Crimson Hawks entered the game No. 8 in the WBCA Top 25 and No. 12 in the D2SIDA Media Top 25 polls … They are also ranked No. 4 in the NCAA's Atlantic Region rankings … IUP head coach Tom McConnell is 141-37 and is tied with Jan Kiger for most wins in program history … He'll have a chance to break that mark in the PSAC tournament … This was McConnell's first loss to Seton Hill at home (6-1) and is first loss to the Griffins since February 2016 … This was IUP's second loss at home this year (12-2).
 
Up next
The postseason begins for the Crimson Hawks in the PSAC quarterfinals Wednesday, March 6. IUP earned a first round bye and will host the winner of No. 4 seed Seton Hill and No. 5 seed Pitt-Johnstown. If the Crimson Hawks win, they'll travel to the Eastern Division's top remaining seed for PSAC Championship weekend March 9-10.
 
Follow
For up-to-date information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP women's basketball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUP_WBB.