Box Score

Shippensburg, Pa. – Stephanie Prischak scored a game-high 20 points, leading a balanced scoring attack as the Mercyhurst women's basketball team rolled to a 70-56 win over No. 15 Shippensburg Saturday at Heiges Field House.

With the win, Mercyhurst improves its record to 5-5 on the season, while the Raiders are now 6-4 and have lost their last three contests.

The Lakers and Raiders played evenly in the opening six minutes of play, as the game was tied at 9-9 with 13:51 remaining in the first half. Mercyhurst outscored Shippensburg 13-2 over the next six and a half minutes to take a 22-11 lead with 7:22 left in the opening session.

The Raiders fought back with a 10-4 surge to trim the deficit to five points at 26-21 with 2:52 to go in the first half. Amy Achesinski then scored the next seven Laker points, and Prischak scored the final basket of the half, as Mercyhurst took a 35-23 lead into halftime.

Achesinski led all scorers in the first half with 11 points. The Lakers shot 53.8 percent from the field and made five out of nine three-point attempts in the first half. The Raiders connected on 42 percent of their first-half field goals and made just one three-pointer in the opening frame.

After Elise Mercer hit a three-pointer at the start of the second half to bring the Raiders to within nine points at 35-26, Mercyhurst pulled away over the next nine minutes, building its lead to 18 points at 55-37 with 10:19 left in the game.

The Raiders then cut into the Lakers' lead, outscoring the visitors 12-2 over a six-minute span and trailed 57-49 with 4:39 remaining. After the teams traded three-point goals, Mercyhurst outscored Shippensburg 10-4 to provide the winning score of 70-56.

Mercyhurst shot 51 percent from the field for the game, including 52.9 percent on 9-for-17 shooting from three-point range. Shippensburg shot just 38.9 percent from field goal range and 28.6 percent on three-pointers. The Lakers outrebounded the Raiders 33-28 for the game. Mercyhurst's bench outscored Shippensburg bench 25-2.

Prischak scored 20 points to lead three Lakers in double-figures. She hit two three-pointers, her ninth game with two or more made three-pointers this season. She also added three steals. Prischak has scored 910 career points, passing the 900-point mark in today's win.

Achesinski scored 16 points and tied for the team lead with seven rebounds. Jackie Artise scored a season-high 12 points while making three triples and also recorded a career-high five steals.

Megan Hoffman scored a career-high seven points while making two three-pointers. Abby Allen and Lindsay Whipkey registered four points each, while Whipkey tied for the team lead with seven boards. Janeale Ronai hit one three-pointer for three points. Samantha Loadman and Mara Dreiser evenly split four points, while Loadman led the team with four assists.

Three Shippensburg players finished in double-figures, as Lauren Beckley and Elise Mercer each scored 16 points and Kasey Gardner added 14 points.

Mercyhurst is now 2-1 all-time against the Raiders.

The Lakers will be back in action Sunday at PSAC East opponent Cheyney, with tip off scheduled for 1 p.m.