Box Score CLARION, Pa. – Despite an amazing performance from Hannah Heeter given the fact she was playing in her first basketball game of the season less than 16 hours after playing in the NCAA Division II volleyball tournament, the Clarion University women's basketball team dropped an 82-65 decision to Shippensburg in the PSAC opener for both teams Saturday afternoon at Clarion's Tippin Gym.
 
Heeter, who recorded 10 kills and three blocks in Clarion's 3-2 loss to Wheeling Jesuit in the Atlantic Region volleyball semifinals Friday night – a game that ended in Wheeling, W. Va. at 9:30 p.m., scored a team-high 17 points, all in the second half, while adding a team-best nine rebounds.
 
She had 10 points during a second-half Clarion run that helped the Golden Eagles get back in the game after trailing by 31 early in the second half and added three steals, two blocks and an assists while shooting 5 of 9 from the floor after starting 0-for-4 shooting.
 
Shippensburg, which got a game-high 29 points from Sarah Strybuc, who hit 7 of 10 3-pointers, used a 27-6 run at the end of the first half that started with a 19-2 segment to take a 43-24 halftime lead and then built that lead to 59-28 just over six minutes into the second half.
 
But behind Heeter, the 2012 PSAC West Freshman of the Year and a PSAC West preseason all-conference selection this year, and Emma Fickel, who had six of her nine points during the stretch, the Golden Eagles got back within 11, 64-53, with 5:20 to play.
 
Shippensburg, though, stopped Clarion's momentum with a quick 8-2 run highlighted by a pair of Strybuc 3-pointers.  
 
Lauren Savulchak joined Fickel in scoring nine points off the bench, as Clarion got 43 bench points Saturday. Savulchak added three rebounds, three steals and two assists.
 
Stephanie Knauer added 12 points and 14 rebounds, Shawna Wert 18 points and Dana Wert 15 points for the Raiders.
 
Clarion returns to action at 1 p.m. Sunday when its hosts Millersville.  
 
NOTES – Heeter and the rest of Clarion's volleyball team got back to Clarion at 2 a.m. Saturday morning, and she was given the choice as to whether she wanted to play basketball Saturday and chose to do so showing up at the 9 a.m. shoot around, her first basketball practice of the season.