CLARION, Pa. - The combination of Jayde Boyd and Grace Centrulla is becoming a force to be reckonened with as they each recorded a double-double and hit a pair of clutch free throws late in the fourth to help the Mercyhurst women's basketball team get by Clarion University 68-63 on Tuesday evening at Tippin Gymnasium.  For Boyd it was her second double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds, while Centrulla notched her third on 18 points to go along with 10 boards.

Clarion took the 2-0 lead just 1:31 in on a layup by Ke'Airah Massiah.  Julia Buchman knotted the score a minute later with two at the line after Devon Adams was called for a technical foul.  Boyd gave the visitors their first edge of the game, but was quickly flipped by Abby Gatesman with a triple to make it 5-4 with 6:12 to play.  Four of the next six belonged to the home side as they opened up a 9-6 edge at the 6:46 mark.  Meghan Komendarek recorded the final four points of the first quarter to give the Lakers a 10-9 lead through one. 

Clarion scored the first four of the second, before Nicolette Arnold responded with five straight to claim a 15-13 with less than seven minutes to go.  The Lakers continued to hold a two-point margin after Boyd delivered from long-range for the visitors second triple of the period making it 18-16.  Adams and Massiah brought the Golden Eagles back to level terms at 20-20, but a layup from Boyd brought the Green and Blue to the front 22-20 at the media timeout.  Out of the timeout Emily Brown gave the hosts the advantage, however Mercyhurst closed on a 10-2 run aided by three balls from Emily Shopene and Arnold to make it 32-25 at half. 

Komendarek single-handedly pushed the Lakers advantage to double-digits, 35-25 by scoring the first three points of the third.  A 6-2 home flight thanks to five points coming from Massiah cut the deficit to 37-31 with six minutes to go.  Boyd and Buchman accounted for the ensuing five points to open up the largest lead of the day at 42-31 two minutes later.  Ten of the following dozen points between the two sides were scored at the foul line and had allowed Clarion to get within 46-39.  The seven-point gap would carry to the fourth with the Lakers on top 48-41.

Paige Woodford and Massiah exchanged triples in the opening two minutes, before Adams hit a tough layup to bring the home team to within four, 51-47.  Massiah just continued to be a thorn in the Lakers side as she hit a tough driving layup right at the halfway point 53-51.  Centrulla and Shopene picked up buckets on back-to-back trips down the floor to open the margin back to 57-51.  A 9-4 push from the Golden Eagles finished off by an "old-fashioned" three-point play by Massiah brought them just one behind 61-60 with 1:48 left.  Woodford and Adams each split a pair at the charity stripe to keep the lead at 62-61 with 24.7 remaining.  After a second miss at the line from Shopene a great hustle play by Boyd kept things alive for the Lakers, she would then draw a foul and hit two on the line for a 64-61 advantage.  However, Massiah would make sure the hosts did not go down quietly as she hit a bucket, but both Boyd and Centrulla knocked home a pair for the 68-63 win.

Team Stat Pack
Field Goal % - Hurst, 40.4% (23-57) / Clarion, 39.6% (21-53)
Three Point % - Hurst, 21.7% (5-23) / Clarion, 35.7% (5-14)
Foul Shooting % - Hurst, 73.9% (17-23) / Clarion, 61.5% (16-26)
Rebounds - Hurst, 40 / Clarion, 33
Points in Paint - Hurst, 28 / Clarion, 22 
Bench Points - Hurst, 20 / Clarion, 3
Turnovers - Hurst, 13 / Clarion, 14
Blocks - Hurst, 2 / Clarion, 4

Mercyhurst Individual Stats
Points - Boyd (18), Centrulla (16), Komendarek (9)
Rebounds - Boyd (12), Centrulla (10)
Assists - Centrulla (4), Arnold and Boyd (3)
Blocks - Arnold (2)

Clarion Individual Stats
Points - Massiah (27), Adams (15), Gatesman (13)
Rebounds - Adams (9), Massiah (7)

On Deck
The Lakers and Golden Eagles will do battle in Erie on Friday afternoon at 3pm.