CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Mercyhurst women's basketball put three players in double-figures led by a dozen from Cincinnati, Ohio native Grace Centrulla, but the Lakers ultimately fell 84-56 to Division I Cleveland State University on Saturday afternoon at the Henry J. Goodman Arena.  

The first quarter of the was extremely low scoring as their were just a dozen total points.  CSU stated out with a 3-0 lead, before Meghan Komendarek got the Lakers first basket at the 4:48 mark.  Destiny Leo netted the next five, but Centrulla tried to give the visitors some momentum going into the second as she cut it to 8-4.  

CSU carried the play through the opening five minutes of outpacing the guests 17-2 over a 4:57 span capped off by a triple from Taylah Levy.  During that run the only Mercyhurst points came with 1:23 elapsed as Komendarek knocked down two at the stripe.  The Lakers tried to mount a rally scoring the ensuing six points on layups by Jayde Boyd and Julia Buchman coupled with two more for Komendarek at the line cutting it to 25-12.  CSU responded with eight consecutive points, before Nicolette Arnold, Boyd, Buchman, and Centrulla closed on an 8-0 charge bringing the margin to 35-20 at half.

The second half began with Nadia Dumas and Centrulla exchanging baskets keeping the gap at 37-22 with 8:11 to play.  Mercyhurst struggled to get any closer with the two sides splitting the following dozen points.  Boyd set Arnold up for a layup to spark a 7-3 Hurst push with Centrulla and Boyd contributing as well cutting it to 45-34 still with four minutes left.  Komendarek supplied the only other Laker bucket of the period at the 7:44 mark, as the Vikings ended the third on a 13-2 run making it 58-36.

Paige Woodford and Komendarek gave Mercyhurst offense early in the final frame, but a Aminata Ly layup with 5:49 left pushed CSU to their largest lead of the afternoon at 71-41.  The Lakers kept up the spirit and continued to fight as Brittini Martin, Emma McDermott, Centrulla and Arnold all picked up baskets the rest of the way.  However, it would not let them close the gap as CSU finished off the win.

Team Stat Pack
Field Goal % - Hurst, 35.1% (20-57) / CSU, 44% (33-75)
Three Point % - Hurst, 33.3% (6-18) / CSU, 36.4% (8-22)
Foul Shooting % - Hurst, 90.9% (10-11) / CSU, 52.6% (10-19)
Rebounds - Hurst, 38 / CSU, 47
Points in Paint - Hurst, 18 / CSU, 46 
Turnovers - Hurst, 20 / CSU, 8
Blocks - Hurst, 7 / CSU, 2

Mercyhurst Individual Stats
Points - Centrulla (12), Arnold and Komendarek (10), Boyd (7)
Rebounds - Boyd (12), Centrulla (8)
Assists - Boyd (5), McDermott (4), Arnold (3)
Blocks - Boyd and Centrulla (2)

Cleveland State Individual Stats
Points - Leo (20), White (19), Dumas and Gradwell (10)
Rebounds - Gradwell (12), Geraci (6)

On Deck
The Lakers are back in action on Sunday afternoon when they play a Valentine's Day matinee at D'Youville College at 1pm.