Box Score ERIE, Pa. – Freshman Tania Holmes scored a career-high 16 points, and the Clarion University women's basketball team rallied from an eight-point second-half deficit to get a 64-62 win at Mercyhurst Wednesday night.
 
Clarion trailed 43-35 with 16:27 to play before a 12-2 run fueled by seven Holmes points got the Golden Eagles back into the game with a 47-45 lead with 10:40 left.
 
Then, after Mercyhurst retook the lead at 51-50 with 9:25 to go, Lauren Savulchak, who had 11 points and five rebounds while also playing outstanding defense, hit a three-point to put Clarion ahead for good at 53-51. The Golden Eagles eventually got the lead to as many as six twice, the last at 61-55 with 4:20 to play.
 
Mercyhurst tried to rally and closed within three, 64-61, on a Dana Banda layup with 42 seconds left. The Lakers then got a stop, and after missing a pair of three-pointers got an offensive rebound with just under five second to play from Abby Allen. Allen was fouled by Holmes and hit a the first free throw to get the game within two. Allen then missed the second one – possibly on purpose – before Holmes was able to get to the loose ball and secure the victory.
 
Clarion got out of the gate quick going up 11-2 before Mercyhurst fought back and took a 35-31 halftime lead. The Lakers then started the second half quickly to build the lead to eight before Clarion's run settled things down.
 
Aleya Miller added 10 points for Clarion, while Hannah Heeter had 14 rebounds but was limited to a season-low four points, her lowest since scoring zero in her career-debut last year in just five minutes.
 
Banda had a game-high 23 points for Mercyhurst, while Alayna White had 12 points and seven rebounds.
 
Clarion returns to action at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at IUP. The game will be available on internet radio at www.clariongoldeneagles.com and www.redzonemedia.com.