CLARION, Pa. --- The Golden Eagle women's basketball team was unable to find its footing early on, falling behind and eventually dropping a 78-43 decision to Mercyhurst at Tippin Gym on Wednesday evening.
 
Other than a stretch in the third quarter, the Clarion offense was not able to muster much cohesion against the Lakers, shooting just 16-of-52 (.308) from the field. Comparatively the Lakers shot 44.8 percent from the field, but they were especially efficient in the first two quarters in building a significant lead.
 
Jada Smith and Ava Haddad tied for the team-high with 10 points apiece, with Smith going 3-of-6 from the field and 4-of-6 from the free throw line. She also finished with a team-high eight rebounds as well as two blocked shots and a steal. Haddad, meanwhile, also contributed a steal and an assist.
 
The first half went entirely the way of the Lakers, who outscored the Golden Eagles 40-15 through 20 minutes of play and generally locked up the Clarion offense. Smith and Haddad sparked a good start for the Golden Eagles in the second half, though, working in the post and finally getting Clarion in a rhythm. Smith scored the first four points of the third quarter, including an and-one through a foul by Julia Buchman. Haddad added a bucket at the 7:14 mark of the third after Gloria Bwende ripped down a defensive rebound and launched a pass ahead to the former for a fast break bucket.
 
Two trips down the floor later, Bwende made a jumper from the right elbow to push the lead to 42-23, and Haddad scored buckets on two consecutive offensive possessions to keep it a 19-point game. The Lakers ran that lead back up, though, heading into the final period with a 57-29 advantage. The lead eclipsed 30 points early in the fourth quarter and remained that way for the duration as Mercyhurst completed the victory.
  Read Full Article