SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's basketball team led by eight points with 5:57 to play in regulation, but was unable to hold on to its lead as West Chester University rallied back to earn an 85-78 victory at Morrow Field House Saturday afternoon.
The loss drops The Rock's record to 3-5 overall and 1-2 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference games. West Chester improves to 2-3 overall and 2-1 in league contests with the win.
Mallory Heinle scored 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field in addition to grabbing seven rebounds and making two steals to pace The Rock.
Lexi Carpenter scored a team-high 17 points while also passing out four assists.
The duo of
Krista Pietropola and
C.C. Dixon came off the bench to score 14 points and 10 points, respectively. Pietropola was automatic from 3-point range, going 4-for-5 from deep, and Dixon was also a presence inside with four rebounds.
Fellow reserve
Cassidy Wright recorded a game-high six assists to go with seven points while
Morgan Henderson rounded out The Rock's top scorers with six points and seven rebounds.
After trailing for the opening portions of the first quarter, Slippery Rock closed the period strong with a 3-pointer by Pietropola to give The Rock a 19-16 lead through the first 10 minutes of play.
SRU and West Chester proceeded to trade the lead back-and-forth eight times in the second quarter before Slippery Rock scored three points in the final 21 seconds of the first half off of a jumper by Heinle and a successful free throw by
Sierra Fordham to give The Rock a 35-33 advantage heading into the break.
Slippery Rock trailed for just over a minute in the third quarter before once again closing strong via a 6-2 run that sent SRU into the game's final quarter with a four-point, 61-57, edge. Heinle scored all six points in the run for The Rock.
SRU maintained its lead through much of the fourth quarter and with 5:57 remaining in regulation found itself with a 71-63 lead over the Golden Rams.
However, Slippery Rock struggled offensively over the following 4:24, going just 1-for-5 from the field and allowing West Chester to rattle off a 15-2 run which put the Golden Rams ahead 78-73 with just 1:33 left to play. Slippery Rock was able to cut the WCU lead down to two points late in the game, but West Chester made seven of its 10 free throw attempts down the stretch to hold on for the 85-78 win.
For the game, Slippery Rock shot 44.8 percent (26-of-58) from the field overall, 31.6 percent (6-of-19) from 3-point range and an uncharacteristic 66.7 percent (20-of-30) from the free throw line. SRU has now shot above 40 percent from the field in each of its last two games. Defensively, Slippery Rock forced 16 West Chester turnovers while only committing a near season-low 14 of its own.
SRU also held advantages over West Chester in second chance points (11-9) and bench scoring (32-7).
West Chester finished the game shooting 50 percent (27-of-54) from the field overall, 35.3 percent (6-of-17) from 3-point territory and 83.3 percent (25-of-30) from the free throw line. WCU held a 36-30 edge over The Rock in total rebounds as well. Porscha Speller and Alexis Anderson scored 27 and 22 points, respectively for West Chester in the win.
Slippery Rock will look to quickly rebound from Saturday's loss with a victory over Cheyney University on Sunday. Tipoff from Morrow Field House is scheduled for 1 p.m.
