02/07/2008

Box Score

Erie, Pa. - Stephanie Prischak scored a career high 26 points and tied her career high with four three-pointers, but that effort alone could not stand up to the Wayne State Warriors as the Mercyhurst women's basketball team suffered an 83-81 loss Thursday. Mercyhurst is now 6-17 on the year and 1-12 in the GLIAC.

In a game that featured 11 ties and 20 lead changes, Wayne State built a 74-65 lead with less than five minutes left in the game. Mercyhurst fought back with a 14-4 run that was capped off by a Samantha Loadman three-pointer with 2:00 left to put the Lakers on top 79-78.

Joy Nash answered with a lay-up with 58 seconds remaining that gave the Warriors the lead again but Amy Achesinski scored 25 seconds later to put the Lakers on top 81-80.

Following a Wayne State timeout, Nash missed a lay-up but the Warriors picked up the offensive rebound and Monique George scored with 14 seconds left to put the Warriors back on top. Mercyhurst committed a turnover five seconds later and George made 1-of-2 free-throws to make the score 83-81 Wayne State. Prischak's jumper with two seconds left was no good and the Warriors escaped with the win.

In the first half, Mercyhurst and Wayne State battled back-and-forth with a strong offensive performance. The Lakers shot 52 percent from the field and hit 7-of-12 three-pointers in the opening 20 minutes, but Wayne State was also 52 percent and made 7-of-15 three-pointers as the Warriors led 44-43 at the break.

Prischak scored 20 points in the first half to lead all scorers but Mercyhurst turned the ball over 12 times to the Warriors' six.

For the game, three other players scored 15 points for the Lakers. Stevie Spetoskey, Loadman, and Amy Achesinski each finished with 15. Loadman added a team-high eight rebounds and Achesinski pulled down seven despite playing just 23 minutes with foul trouble.

Wayne State is now 11-9 overall and 7-6 in the GLIAC.

Mercyhurst will play its last home game Saturday against Hillsdale as the Lakers take part in Think Pink Day, raising awareness of Breast Cancer. Game time is set for 1 p.m.