ERIE, Pa.- The Mercyhurst women's basketball team won, 80-72, against Slippery Rock Saturday afternoon. Adrienne Kloecker scored a career-high 21 points in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division game at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.

The contest was even at 45 at halftime. The teams went back and forth from there, eventually coming to a 65-all tie with 8:03 remaining. Taylor started a 7-0 spurt with a layup, assisted by Abby Allen. With 5:41 left, Allen found Krusinski for another bucket. Two minutes later, Krusinski assisted on an Allen three-pointer for a 72-65 advantage.

D'Asia Chambers scored for The Rock, but Kloecker came back with a pair of free throws. Erinne Cunningham followed with a free throw and a jump shot. The Lakers then closed with 6-6 accuracy from the foul line.

Kloecker hit a trey to open Mercyhurst's scoring in the first half. She followed with a layup to tie it at 5 after 2:13 had been played. Kaylee Foster scored inside and then Kristi Ewanick connected to get within 11-9. 

Paris Thomas drained a triple to give the hosts their first lead with 15:01 left. After a Rock hoop, Kloecker sank another shot from long range for a 15-13 edge at the 12:52 mark. SRU regained its advantage with a pair of Chambers free throws. Cunningham and Christa Wodarczyk each made threes to make it 23-19 with 9:26 to go. 

Mercyhurst then began asserting control by getting to the foul line. Krusinski made four and Foster converted a pair as the Lakers took a slim lead. Ewanick and Lindsey Burke each sank three-pointers to make it 35-31 with less than four minutes to play.

Erica Aiello hit a trey at the shot clock buzzer, but Dana Banda answered with a triple of her own on the other end. Allen and Aiello ended the half trading threes as the teams went into the locker room tied at 45.

After a Rock bucket, Banda scored 50 seconds into the second period. Cunningham and Kloecker both made treys, but The Rock scored twice to take a 56-52 advantage with 14:22 left. Allen hit her third triple and then Kloecker banged another three for a two-point edge with 12:21 showing on the clock.

Wodarczyk finished a three-point play, but Kloecker once again hit from downtown to even the score at 61. Baskets by Alayna White and Thomas made it 65-63, but Cunningham tied it again with two foul shots at the 8:03 mark.

Mercyhurst set several season highs in the victory. The 80 points were the most by a Laker unit this season. The team also set new bests in made threes (12) and free throw percentage (85.7). On the day, the Lakers connected on 12-24 three-point tries and 18-21 foul shots. 

Kloecker recorded a career-high 21 points on 7-14 shooting, including five triples. She also grabbed six rebounds in 30 minutes. Krusinski hit all six of her free throw attempts on her to way to 12 points and seven boards. Allen scored 11 points, collecting five assists and four rebounds along the way. Cunningham paced The Rock with 22 points.

The Lakers improved to 7-14 overall and 7-10 in the PSAC. They travel to Clarion for a 5:30 p.m. PSAC contest on Wednesday, February 13.