Box Score CLARION, Pa. – Kelly Johnson and Emma Fickel combined to score 39 points to lead the Clarion University women's basketball team to a 73-70 non-conference win over visiting Walsh Monday night at Tippin Gym.
 
Johnson, who earlier in the day was named the PSAC West Freshman of the Week for the third time this season, had a game-high 21 points to go with five steals, five assists and five rebounds, while Fickel added 18 points, two rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal for Clarion, which evened its record at 7-7 on the season.
 
Hannah Heeter gave the Golden Eagles three players in double digits with 10 points to go with nine rebounds and three blocked shots. Jasmine Boyd chipped in six points and seven rebounds, and Cara Cook had seven points, four rebounds and four assists. Tania Holmes contributed six assists and six rebounds to go with four points, two steals and two blocks. As a team, Clarion blocked eight shots, its most blocked shots since blocking 11 Feb. 27, 2010. The Golden Eagles also had 22 assists on 30 baskets, their second most assists of the season.
 
Alyssa Jones led three Walsh players in double figures with 12 points, while adding four steals. Rachael Trujillo added 11 points, four assists and three steals with Tara Gallupe chipping in 10 points and five rebounds.
 
After leading by 11, 61-50, with 8 ½ minutes to play, Clarion found itself in a dog fight the final six minutes of the game having to withstand two Walsh three's that would have tied the game in the final 18 seconds and a Cavaliers in-bounds play with three seconds left.
 
Up seven, 73-66, following Fickel's fourth 3-pointer of the game with 2:40 to play, the Golden Eagles watched Jones hit a free throw at the 2:04 mark and Kelsey Funderburgh nail a three with 1:01 left to get Walsh (5-9) within three, 73-70.
 
Then, after Holmes grabbed a rebound off a missed three by Fickel at the 30-second mark, Funderburgh tied up Holmes with the possession arrow favoring Walsh.
 
But Gallupe missed a three with 18 second to play with the rebound going out of bounds to Clarion. Boyd, however, turned the ball over with Funderburgh coming away with a steal at the 12-second mark. But Funderburgh's three was also off the mark with Jen Straw, who had five rebounds off the bench, collecting the rebound for Clarion.
 
Holmes, however, missed a breakout pass to Johnson with the ball going out of bounds off Johnson with just over three seconds left giving the ball back to Walsh on the Clarion baseline. Gallupe, however, threw away the inbounds pass trying to hit a player long, and Clarion was able to get the ball into Johnson as time expired.
 
The Golden Eagles, who led by six, 42-36, at halftime, came out firing building a 16-point lead, 26-10, 8 ½ minutes into the game thanks to 11 points from Johnson and nine from Fickel.
 
Walsh, though, battled back cutting the deficit to three, 30-27, thanks to a 17-4 run that saw Kelsey Funderburgh score four points to lead the way.
 
Clarion, however, answered with a quick 7-0 spurt to return the lead to 10, 37-27, on an old-school 3-point play by Cook with 2:48 to play in the half. The lead then got to 11, 42-31, with 1:11 to play in the half before Walsh scored the half's final five points including a three by Trujillo with four seconds left before the break.
 
The Cavaliers then got within three, 44-41, early in the second half before an 11-3 Golden Eagle run paced by four points from Johnson and a Fickel three put the lead back to 11, 55-44, with 14:16 left.
 
Clarion still led by 11, 61-50, at the 8:38 mark following a free throw by Maria Taylor, but Walsh answered quickly using a 9-0 run over the next 2:07 to get as close as it would get at two points, 61-59.
 
But if was Fickel to the rescues, as the senior, who now has 970 career points, nailed a 3-pointer at the 5:53 mark to restore the lead to five, 64-59.
 
Clarion returns to action at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at California (Pa.). The game will be available on internet radio at www.clariongoldeneagles.com .