Boxscore

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Senior guard Nikki Presto scored a career-high 24 points and handed out six assists Sunday afternoon but it wasn’t enough as the Slippery Rock University women’s basketball team dropped a 69-66 decision to visiting Shippensburg in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference “crossover” action in Morrow Field House.

The loss dropped The Rock’s season record to 3-8 heading into Saturday’s “crossover” game at Millersville.

Senior guard Julie Molloy had 16 points to account for the only other double-digit scoring effort by The Rock. Junior guard Grace Palucis led the team in rebound with five.

Senior forward Lauren Beckley scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead Shippensburg (6-8) and move into a tie for the school record for career points scored. Junior forward Kasey Gardner added 18 points and 15 rebounds and sophomore forward Kaitlin Capriccio chipped in 10 points and five rebounds.

The game was a classic nip-and-tuck battle as the lead changed hands a total of 28 times, 15 of which came in the opening 20 minutes, and the score was tied on six occasions.

Final statistics further reflected the close competition that took place on the court.

The Rock shot 44% (25-57) from the field, 32% (8-25) from 3-point range and a perfect 8-of-8 from the foul line.

Shippensburg, meanwhile, shot 43% (23-53) from the field, 27% (6-22) from beyond the arc and 85% (17-20) from the foul line.

The Raiders dominated the rebounding battle by a 40-24 margin but had more turnovers, 16-12.

Shippensburg’s inside domination also showed up in points scored in the paint, where the Raiders had a 30-18 advantage.

The Rock held a 32-31 lead at halftime after an opening period that saw the lead changed hands 13 times and the score tied on three occasions.

The largest lead in the first 20 minutes was a five-point, 16-11, Rock advantage after five minutes of action. Shippensburg’s largest lead was a 4-0 margin after 50 seconds had elapsed.

SRU finished the first half with a 50% (13-26) efficiency on its field goal attempts that included a 3-of-9 showing from 3-point range. The Rock was a perfect 3-of-3 from the foul line.

Shippensburg had just slightly less success on its shots. The Raiders shot 46% (12-26) from the field, were 3-of-10 from 3-point range and made all four of their free throws.

Shippensburg had a 2-to-1 rebounding advantage (18-9) in the opening half but also had more turnovers, 9-5.

Presto led all scorers in the first half with 16 points on a perfect 7-of-7 shooting effort that included one trey and also one free throw made.

The Rock held Beckley to only two points in the opening 20 minutes of action.

After visiting Millersville for a “crossover” game Saturday, The Rock will visit West Chester for an interdivisional game next Sunday.