WEST CHESTER, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's basketball team made 10 3-pointers and forced 18 turnovers on the way to a 70-63 win at West Chester University Friday night in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference crossover play.
 
The victory, Slippery Rock's second in as many games, improved The Rock's record to 6-3 overall and 3-1 in PSAC play. West Chester drops to 4-4 overall and 2-3 in league competition with the loss.
 
Junior guard Audrey Stapleton paced Slippery Rock with 16 points and four rebounds off the bench. Stapleton continued her efficient shooting streak by going 5-for-8 from the field overall, 3-for-4 from 3-point range and 3-for-4 from the foul line. Stapleton has now scored at least 13 points in six consecutive games.
 
Senior forward Megan Hardiman was The Rock's second player in double figures with 13 points while also grabbing a team-high seven rebounds. Junior guard Lexi Carpenter and sophomore guard Ciara Patterson both chipped in nine points apiece. Patterson, along with senior guard Erica Aiello, each passed out four assists.
 
Sophomore guard Krista Pietropola registered eight points and two blocks off the bench to round out SRU's top performers.
 
For the game, Slippery Rock shot 40 percent (22-for-55) from the floor and 47.6 percent (10-for-21) from 3-point range. Slippery Rock turned 18 Ram turnovers into 26 points while also holding the Rams to a 37.1 field goal percentage (23-for-62).
 
West Chester scored 10 of the game's first 13 points before Slippery Rock rebounded to outscore the Rams 17-9 over the final six minutes of the first quarter to take a 20-19 lead into the second quarter. Carpenter scored seven points and Pietropola added five points and one block for The Rock in the opening 10 minutes of play,
 
The two evenly-matched teams played to a 23-23 tie through the first five minutes of the second quarter until sophomore forward Mallory Heinle connected on a 3-pointer from the corner that gave SRU a 26-23 lead. Following two minutes without either team being able to score, the Rams' Jasmine Clark tied the game with a 3-pointer of her own. However, senior forward Sorriyah Ranger made a layup and Stapleton converted 1-of-2 free throws down the stretch to send Slippery Rock into halftime leading 29-26.
 
The 26 points were the second fewest points given up by The Rock in the first half this season. PIetropola led all scorers with eight points in the opening 20 minutes. Stapleton chipped in four points and four rebounds as well.
 
Slippery Rock and West Chester traded baskets throughout the third quarter with the Rams only able to trim one point off The Rock's lead as they entered the fourth quarter down 51-49. Slippery Rock closed out the game in the final period by forcing West Chester into seven turnovers and a 33.3 field goal percentage (5-for-15) over the last 10 minutes of play while Hardiman provided the offense in the form of eight points en route to the 70-63 win.
 
Brittany Sicinski led West Chester with 23 points, five rebounds and five assists. Kendall Benovy added a double-double of 14 points and 13 rebounds.
 
Slippery Rock concludes its latest round of crossover play 2 p.m. Saturday at Cheyney University.