SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Less than 24-hours later after suffering a hard-fought 69-66 overtime defeat, the Mercyhurst women's basketball team used a strong team effort and balanced scoring to exact revenge on No. 24 American International College by a score of 64-55 on Sunday afternoon at Henry A. Butova Gymnasium.  

The opening 40-seconds of the game saw both teams hit the bottom of the net as Nora Young and Nicolette Arnold each recorded a bucket.  After a Meghan Komendarek made it 4-2, AIC went on a 7-0 charge ending on a layup for Kyla Smith.  Arnold and Komendarek both hit two free throws during a 6-3 push to close within 12-10 with 3:23 left.  Over the final three minutes just six points were scored between the two teams leaving the Yellow Jackets in front 15-13 after one. 

Grace Centrulla tied the score at 15-15 just 12-seconds into the second, before Jayde Boyd and Emily Shopene added three more to make it 18-15.  AIC closed the gap to within one four times at 18-17, 20-19 and 22-21.  However, each time it was answered by a bucket from a Lakers player as Julia Buchman, Komendarek and Shopene supplied the offense to make it 24-21 with 3:26 to go.  Destine Perry and Smith picked up four straight giving the home team a slim 25-24 edge, but Buchman went on a personal 4-1 stretch to close the half leaving the guests on top 28-26.  

Neither side could find the offense to begin the third as they went scoreless over the opening 2:32, before Young knotted the score with a layup.  That woke Mercyhurst up as Boyd, Centrulla and Woodford went on a 9-0 sprint over the ensuing 3:03 to open up a 37-28 advantage which led to an AIC timeout.  Coming out of the stoppage Perry decided she was going to take matters into her own hands as she orchestrated a 9-3 charge to bring the Yellow Jackets to within 40-37 at the 9:26 mark.  Smith would add a jumper at the buzzer to send things to the fourth at 40-39.  

Komendarek netted the first four points of the fourth extending the lead to 44-39 with 1:04 gone.  Over the next 2:06, Buchman hit from long range and Boyd knocked down a jumper to help the Lakers extend their margin by one to 49-43.  Young cut the deficit to 49-45, but a technical foul off a rebound by Nyrie Holliman allowed Woodford along with Komendarek to score four consecutive points bumping the lead to 53-45 with 4:01 remaining.  Sara Guntin Barriero and Smith tried to keep AIC afloat bringing the margin to three, 53-50.  However, that was the closest they could get as Buchman, Komendarek and Woodford closed on an 11-5 run for the 64-55 final.  

Team Stat Pack
Field Goal % - Hurst, 43.5% (20-46) / AIC, 30.8% (20-65)
Three Point % - Hurst, 36.4% (4-11) / AIC, 31.3% (5-16)
Foul Shooting % - Hurst, 90.9% (20-22) / AIC, 83.3% (10-12)
Rebounds - Hurst, 32 / AIC, 41
Points in Paint - Hurst, 22 / AIC, 28 
Turnovers - Hurst, 14 / AIC, 12 
Blocks - Hurst, 7 / AIC, 2

Mercyhurst Individual Stats
Points - Komendarek (18), Buchman (12), Centrulla and Woodford (9)
Rebounds - Komendarek (8), Shopene (5), Boyd (4)
Assists - Woodford (3), Buchman and Shopene (2)
Blocks - Boyd and Centrulla (3)

American International Individual Stats
Points - Smith (21), Perry (16)
Rebounds - McDuffie (6), Holliman and Turner (5)

On Deck
The Lakers are back in action on Wednesday evening at 6pm when they host the Golden Eagles of Clarion University.