ERIE, Pa.- The Mercyhurst women's basketball team won, 42-40, over Shippensburg Friday evening. The Lakers held the Raiders to 25 percent shooting from the field in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) crossover victory at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.


 
The choppy game was tightly contested throughout, as neither team led by more than six points during the contest. Katie Carbee's layup put Hurst ahead 36-34 with 5:38 to play. Codi McMaster tied the game with a lay-in of her own seconds later. Shawna Wert put the visitors up two points with 3:05 to go, but Lindsey Burke answered with a 12-footer to even the score at 38. Burke then missed the front end of a one-and-bonus, but Sarah Strybuc's layup try on the next possession missed. With 1:46 remaining, Burke drilled a three-pointer from the left corner for a 41-38 edge. Wert came back with a lay-in with 70 seconds left, but Burke made a free throw for the 42-40 margin with 46 seconds to go.
 
Shippensburg used three timeouts in the final minute, but the Laker defense thwarted the Raiders each time, as Wert missed a layup in the last seconds and Nikki Frederickson ended up with a steal to keep Hurst unbeaten at home this season.
 
Mercyhurst scored the game's first six points, as Kaylee Foster hit two lay-ins and a jumper for a quick 6-0 lead. Ship responded, though, tying the game at eight with 11:53 left in the first frame. Carbee connected on two jump shots to regain control, but Strybuc made a trey to get within 12-11. Lindsay Stamp followed with a triple of her own, and after a Dana Wert layup, Stamp laid the ball in for a 17-13 edge with 5:50 to go.
 
Strybuc hit a three to put the visitors up for the first time before Burke came back with a jumper for a 19-18 advantage. Banda banked in a triple from way outside for a 22-20 Hurst lead. Dana Wert hit a trey to regain Ship's edge and it went into the locker room with a 25-24 lead.
 
The teams went almost four minutes without scoring to start the second half before Raediah Lyles made two free throws for the Raiders' biggest lead of the game. Carbee quickly answered with a jumper and then Foster made a layup for a 28-27 Laker advantage. A three-point play by Frederickson with 12:55 remaining put Hurst up 31-27.
 
A few minutes later, Frederickson made a jumper for a 34-33 Mercyhurst lead and then Dana Wert split two free throws to tie the action going down the stretch.
 
No Laker posted double-digit points for the first time since January 15, 2005. Foster, Carbee, and Burke each recorded eight and Frederickson had seven. Frederickson, the defending PSAC West player of the week, grabbed 12 rebounds, while Carbee pulled down 11 boards. The two seniors combined for 11 offensive rebounds. Hurst outrebounded the Raiders, 46-31.
 
Banda dished out five assists, while Carbee added three helpers. As a team, the Lakers hit 34 percent from the floor. Ship made 12-48 attempts from the field.
 
Hurst's defense held the Raiders to 40 points-the fewest points Coach Deanna Richard's squad has allowed since November 20, 2009, when the Lakers beat Salem International, 80-40. The 25 percent shooting defense is also the lowest by a Laker outfit since that Salem match, when the Tigers shot 19 percent from the field.
 
With the win, Mercyhurst improved to 6-5 overall and 4-3 in the conference. The win is the Lakers' sixth in the seven outings. Ship dropped to 5-6 overall and 2-5 in the league. Hurst hosts Cheyney tomorrow at 5:30 p.m.
 
For a box score of the Shippensburg-Mercyhurst game, please click here.