SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's basketball team fended off a late surge by Mercyhurst University to come away with a 60-57 victory Wednesday night at Morrow Field House.
The win improves The Rock's record to 7-5 overall and 5-2 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division competition. Mercyhurst drops to 5-7 on the year overall and 3-3 in league games. The Rock's 5-2 PSAC West record is the best start for the program since SRU began the conference schedule 5-2 during the 1999-00 season.
Slippery Rock led by as many as 21 points, 47-26, with four minutes to play in the third quarter, but the Lakers rallied by outscoring The Rock 34-10 over the next 13 minutes to cut SRU's lead down to just three points at 60-57 with 51 seconds remaining in regulation. However, Slippery Rock was able to secure the win by holding Mercyhurst scoreless over the Lakers' final three possessions of the game.
Brooke Hinderliter led The Rock with 14 points, five assists, three steals and one block. Hinderliter went 6-for-17 from the field overall and 2-for-2 from the foul line to push her consecutive made free throw streak up to 26.
Morgan Henderson also finished in double figures with 10 points to go with eight rebounds in the near double-double performance.
Madison Johnson and
Mallory Heinle matched Henderson on the glass with eight rebounds apiece. Johnson also scored five points while added three assists and two steals.
LeeAnn Gibson had one of her top games of the season with eight points, six rebounds, one block and one assist over 30 minutes. Fellow starter
Krista Pietropola also had a strong showing with eight points, seven rebounds and one block. Pietropola went 3-for-5 from the field overall and 1-for-2 from 3-point range.
Sierra Fordham and
Skyla O'Connor rounded out The Rock's top performers Wednesday. Both reserves scored six points with Fordham adding two assists and a steal and O'Connor producing one block and one steal.
Slippery Rock overcame a rough all-around night shooting that included a 34.3 percent (23-for-67) effort from the field and an uncharacteristically low 13-for-24 (54.2 percent) mark from the foul line by holding the Lakers to a 28.2 (16-for-61) field goal percentage to go with 23 Laker turnovers. SRU scored 26 points off of Mercyhurst's turnovers while also holding advantages in points in the paint (26-14), second chance points (12-11) and bench scoring (15-13).
Mercyhurst was able to remain in the contest by going 21-for-25 from the free throw line. The Lakers were led by Maria Lapertosa, who scored 25 points, grabbed seven rebounds and made four steals. The bulk of Lapertosa's offensive production came at the foul line where she went 15-for-17.
The first 26 minutes of Wednesday's game belonged to The Rock. SRU came out of the first quarter with a 19-12 advantage and proceeded to double up the Lakers, 20-10, in the second period to take a 39-22 lead into the halftime break.
SRU came out of the locker room to outscore the Lakers 8-4 through the first six minutes of the third quarter before Mercyhurst made its game-ending run that was ultimately rendered moot thanks to The Rock's defense in the final minute of regulation.
Slippery Rock remains at home to host No. 10 California (Pa.) 1 p.m. Saturday at Morrow Field House.
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