Dec. 12, 2009

Box Score

SHEPHERD, W. Va. - Great free-throw shooting lifted the Clarion University women's basketball team to a 73-69 win over Shepherd in the Golden Eagles second game in less than 24 hours Saturday afternoon at Shepherd.

Clarion (5-2), which entered the game hitting 60 percent from the line, knocked down 27 of 33 charity shots (81.8 percent) Saturday including hitting 13 of 14 in the final 6:13 after retaking the lead at 53-52 to seal the win.

Rachel Graeff was a real key at the line, as the sophomore guard, who was 4 of 9 on the season entering the game, was 10 of 12 on her way to a team-high 17 points. She hit four straight between the 6:13 mark and the 5:56 mark to end a 6-0 spurt that gave Clarion a 57-52 lead. Lizzie Suwala, who recorded her third straight double-digit game, started the run with a jumper at 6:44 that gave Clarion the lead for good at 53-52.

Bethany Koch, who started the year 7 of 22 from the line, also was solid hitting 6 of 8 from the charity stripe while recording third double-double of the year with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Shaina Smith, whose two first-half 3-pointers started a key 13-2 half-ending run for the Golden Eagles, added 10 points while Sara Pratt had nine points and five boards.

Jerica Hewett led Shepherd (3-3) with a game-high 23 points, while Camille Wilmer had 14 points and eight rebounds and Shelby Fayak eight points and 12 boards.

Clarion, which was coming off an 83-80 overtime win at West Chester Friday, overcome a slow start that saw Shepherd take an early 15-4 lead by using the 13-2 half-ending run to take a 37-34 halftime lead.

The Golden Eagles were then able to get its lead to six, 51-45, midway through the second half before Shepherd went on a 7-0 run to take its final lead of the contest, 52-51, on a Wilmer layup with 7:23 left.

Clarion returns to action Dec. 28 when it faces Wheeling Jesuit in Daytona, Fla.

NOTES - The 27 made free throws tie for the sixth most on the road in head coach Gie Parsons' 21 years at Clarion and are the most against a non-PSAC opponent since hitting 27 at Pitt-Johnstown Jan. 5, 1997 ... Clarion is at least 5-2 after seven games for the ninth time in Parsons time at Clarion and for the fifth time since 2003.