Box Score East Stroudsburg, PA- The Mercyhurst Women's Basketball Team began PSAC play today as they traveled to East Stroudsburg University to take on the 2-2 Warriors. The Lakers quickly made their presence known, and left Koehler Fieldhouse with a win, outscoring East Stroudsburg 63-56. Mercyhurst is now 4-2 on the season. Brooklyn Kohlheim's group has a quick turnaround and will take on Kutztown tomorrow at 1:00 PM.
How it Happened:
Despite a slow start for the Lakers, Bailey Kuhns got the party started giving Mercyhurst their first points of the day with a put back layup. The very next possession, Julia Buchman gave the Lakers the lead, cashing a shot from beyond the arc.
Out of the media timeout, Danielle Grim flipped a switch. Grim scored 6 straight points to give Mercyhurst an 11-8 lead. After a strong finish with her left hand, Grim Euro-stepped another Warrior defender for a bucket and then hit a mid-range step back to give the Lakers a two-possession lead. The late surge gave Mercyhurst a 13-8 advantage after the first quarter.
Mercyhurst settled in at the start of the 2nd, as their lead grew to 15. Big shots by Lauren Klare, Paige Woodford, and Sophia Kelly sparked the Mercyhurst run. The Lakers held a 25 to 19 lead heading into halftime. Danielle Grim led all scorers with 8 points in the half to go along with 6 rebounds. Bailey Kuhns also recorded 6 rebounds in the half.
The second half got interesting, as the home team climbed their way back into the game. Although Mercyhurst shot 50% from the field in the 3rd quarter, the Warriors outscored Mercyhurst 21-18. Lauren Klare and Sophia Kelly played huge roles in the second half, giving the Laker offense a needed boost.
A strong 4th quarter saw the Lakers re-take control of the game, earning a 63-56 victory. The Lakers held the lead for 83% of the game, and it is largely due to their balanced attack. With 14 bench points, Mercyhurst also tallied 22 points in the paint, and 13 points off of turnovers.
Highlights:
Three Lakers finished with double digits. Danielle Grim led all scorers with 16 points. Lauren Klare and Sophia Kelly also tallied 11 points on the day
Danielle Grim and Bailey Kuhns once again led the charge from a rebounding standpoint. Grim ended the day with 8, while Kuhns posted 7.
Grim's strong season continued with a strong shooting night, converting at a 50% clip.
Next Game:
The Lakers have a quick turnaround and will travel to Kutztown University tomorrow, December 2nd, to take on the Bears. Tip-off is scheduled for 1:00 PM.
