Box Score

CLARION, Pa. – Three Lakers score double-figures as the Mercyhurst College women's basketball team drops a close one to the Golden Eagles of Clarion, 66-65.

Amy Achesinski led Mercyhurst with 15 points and 14 rebounds, completing her tenth double-double of the season. Senior guard Samantha Loadman and junior Nikki Frderickson also recorded double-figures, scoring 13 and 12 points respectively.

Mercyhurst went up four, just under two minutes to play, trying to hold off the Golden Eagles. 

Mackenzie Clark drained a 3-pointer just over a minute left, pulling within one of the Lakers. Lauren Savulchak followed up with a three-point play of her own, giving Clarion a two-point edge. 

Dana Banda dished one to Loadman in the paint with 11.7 seconds left, tying the game up, hoping for overtime.

Raven Jones had a chance to win it for the Golden Eagles, missing a 3-pointer, however, Achesinski fouled Clark on the rebound giving her a chance with 1.7 seconds to play.

Clark missed the first, but made the second, giving Clarion the 66-65 advantage. 

One last-ditch effort by the Lakers fell short, as they lose their fourth conference game.

The tone was set early at the start of the game by sophomore Kaylee Foster, sinking a layup just 30 seconds in, jump-starting the Laker offense.

Savulchak answered back for the Golden Eagles, hitting a jumper at 18:52, giving the game its first tie.

Mercyhurst took over and kept control the majority of the half, thanks to a Dana Banda three-ball, which put the Lakers up by five.

Loadman added a couple jumpers, followed by a Frderickson layup, increasing that lead to eight points, just 12 minutes left in the first.

Joanna Catalano took matters into her own hands, scoring the next four points for the Golden Eagles, cutting the deficit to four. The two teams exchanged baskets the next few minutes, until Emma Fickel ignited an 11-0 run for Clarion, swishing a jumper at the 6:08 mark.

Down by three, Katie Carbee laid one up for two, closing the gap on the Golden Eagles to one point, with just under a minute left in the half.

Clarion countered on a Raven Jones 3-pointer allowing them to head into the locker room with a two-point advantage.

Achesinski highlighted the first half for the Lakers, scoring seven, while pulling down an impressive eight rebounds. Mercyhurst shot 48 percent the first half, scoring 26 total points.

The Golden Eagles kept control early in the second, until Kelsey Trosch laid one off the glass to tie the game up at 32 with 17:24 to play.

Back-to-back free-throws by Ann Deibert, sparked another Clarion run, this time 8-0, allowing the Golden Eagles to jump out to a six-point lead.

Mercyhurst tried to regain momentum with efforts by Foster and Banda, but it was too much to handle as Clark drained a three to go up by 10.

Loadman scored five of the next nine for the Lakers, coming within one point of the lead, ensuring an exciting finish to the game.

The Lakers now hold a 13-11 record overall, and a 5-4 presence in the PSAC West. Mercyhurst committed 18 turnovers, leading to 15 points for the Golden Eagles. As a team, the Lakers shot 47.4 percent from the field (27-57) and 61.5 percent from the line (8-13)

Mercyhurst is back in action Saturday, as they travel to California (Pa.) to take on the Vulcans. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m.