CLARION, Pa. – Behind a career-high 31 points from Tania Holmes and a double-double from Delrika Jones-Carey, the Clarion University women's basketball team grabbed its first PSAC West of the season and the first of the Jana Ashley Era with a come-from-behind 75-67 win over visiting Pitt-Johnstown Wednesday night.
 
"Our team has been growing up and building up to this point all year," Ashley said. "They deserve to finally get a win. They've been listening to what we've been teaching them. They've been buying into everything, and they stick to the game plan. For them to finally see it all pay off, it feels really good."
 
Holmes, whose previous high was 30 at Pitt-Johnstown Nov. 19 in a 95-84 loss, hit 8 of 15 shots from the field including a pair of 3-pointers while also going 13 of 15 from the free-throw line. She added nine rebounds, three steals, two assists and two blocked shots tying her career high in blocks.
 
Jones-Carey, despite being in foul trouble most of the game, added 12 points and 12 rebounds, her fourth double-double of the season.
 
Cara Cook also had a strong game for the Golden Eagles (2-18, 1-14 PSAC West) with 10 points, one off her career high, to go with a career-best five rebounds. Jasmine Boyd chipped in with eight points and a career-best 10 boards while also dishing out two assists and a blocking a shot, and Jen Straw added a season-high eight points to go with four rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals.
 
Nicole Carmen led Pitt-Johnstown (9-10, 6-9) with 18 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots. Jasmine Harper had a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds, and Kelsey Sleighter added 12 points.
 
Clarion, which was down five, 33-28, at halftime, trailed by nine, 43-34, just over four minutes into the second half before changing the tone of the game with a 23-9 run that saw both Cook, who hit two triples during the spurt, and Straw score six points and Holmes added five with Boyd getting four and Amesha Harden-Pullium two. The run gave the Golden Eagles a 57-52 lead with 6:34 to play.
 
The Lady Cats cut the deficit to one, 57-56, with 5:28 to go before six quick points, including four free throws by Holmes, put the Clarion advantage back to seven, 63-56, with 2:24 to go.
 
Pitt-Johnstown took one last shot at Clarion closing to within four, 71-67, on a three by Sleighter with 17.8 seconds to play, but Boyd hit a couple of free throws and Harden-Pullium put the exclamation point on the win with a layup with five seconds left.
 
"To know we have everybody on the team coming back next year, it's a big positive," Ashley, whose lone senior is the injured Hannah Heeter, said. "For us to finish the season strong and have some momentum and confidence going into the offseason, I think we'll continue to get better going into next year."
 
Clarion will have some time to enjoy the victory, as the Golden Eagles are off until Feb. 4 when they host Seton Hill.