CLARION, Pa. – The Golden Eagle women's basketball team erased a five-point deficit after one quarter and steadily built a lead of their own, as Clarion held on for a 63-60 victory over Slippery Rock at Tippin Gym on Friday.  The victory was the first PSAC win over the year for the Golden Eagles (3-9, 1-5 PSAC), and marks the second straight year they've beaten Slippery Rock at home.
 
Olivia Boocks came off the bench for a team-high 17 points, including three three-pointers in the first half and a 5-of-8 mark behind the line for the full night.  Yasmin Lewis started the night off hot and finished with a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Jada Smith hauled in 10 boards of her own. 
 
Celeste Ryman scored just six points all night, but may have added two of the most important points of the night in crunch time.  The Golden Eagles led just 61-60 with 20 seconds remaining when Ryman was fouled by Kasch Harris, putting the freshman on the line in a crucial moment.  Ryman drained both free throws to extend Clarion's lead to 63-60, and the defense hunkered down for an important possession.  They stood tall and forced a missed three-pointer by The Rock, clinching the win for Clarion.
 
Slippery Rock led 18-13 at the end of the first quarter but the Golden Eagles reversed that score in the second.  Emily Brown made her second three-pointer of the quarter with 1:49 left in the half, sinking the shot from the left corner to put Clarion up 28-26.  The Rock scored four straight to retake the lead, but Yndiah Bobo made a free throw late to tie the score at 31 heading into halftime.
 
Ryman made her lone field goal of the night with under four minutes to go in the third quarter, making a three-pointer to set Clarion ahead 38-35.  The teams traded buckets in the final seconds of action in the third, with Lewis scoring in the paint to make it 45-44.  Daeja Quick scored with 6:25 left in regulation to put The Rock ahead, but it was the last lead they held as Lewis quickly responded with a jumper.  Boocks pushed the lead to five points with a trey, and Emily Hegedus added one of her own with just over a minute to go to make it 59-54.  The Golden Eagles held on to the lead for the remainder of the game.