ERIE, Pa. — In a nail-biter that stretched into overtime at the Highmark Events Center, the Golden Eagles (11-7, 6-6 PSAC) battled fiercely but ultimately fell to eighth-ranked Gannon (19-2, 11-1 PSAC), 83-74. Clarion rallied from a nine-point deficit with under five minutes to play to force overtime, but Gannon controlled the extra period for the win.
In a tense fourth quarter, the Golden Eagles trailed 65-56 after a make by Jordan Popyk. Clarion responded with an 11-2 run that included a three-pointer from
Arianna Seitz and concluded with a game-tying free throw from Zoé Bayer that made it 67-all. Bayer sank a monumental three from the right corner with just four seconds left in the game to put Clarion ahead 70-67, but Bri Claxon was fouled on a three-point shot attempt on the other end of the floor, leading to three makes and a tie game with 3.1 left on the clock.
Alyssa Terza's potential game-winning shot rimmed out as time expired to send the game to overtime.
During overtime, Bayer's layup at 2:38 brought Clarion within one, 73-72. Yet, Gannon countered with a decisive three from Tori Mayes at 2:09, widening their lead. Despite the Golden Eagles' final push, Gannon held firm to close out the game, 83-74.
Seitz shone with a double-double, notching 15 points and 11 rebounds, while
Kendall Berger led all scorers with 18 points and dished out five assists, highlighting her playmaking prowess. Terza was a defensive powerhouse, snagging 14 rebounds and blocking two shots.
Dominika Logue added nine points, all from downtown, sinking three triples.
The Golden Eagles hit the ground running with
Niah Smedley converting an offensive rebound into a layup just seconds into the game. Despite their hustle on the glass with 15 rebounds, including seven on the offensive end, the Eagles struggled with shooting, hitting only 3 of 21 from the field. Gannon capitalized with a couple of threes and fast-break points, maintaining a lead for most of the quarter. Clarion trimmed the deficit late with a three-point play from Berger and a jumper by Smedley, closing the first quarter at 14-11.
The second quarter saw Clarion push back, with a critical 3-pointer from Logue at 6:53 bringing them within one.
Zoe Guice briefly seized the lead with a layup at 5:49, as the teams traded slim leads in a see-saw battle. Guice's free throws at 2:00 nudged Clarion ahead once more, but Gannon edged them out by halftime, 32-28.
Seitz sparked a crucial surge in the third quarter with a trey at 9:13 that tightened the gap to 32-31. Though Gannon answered with a three, timely jumpers from Smedley and Berger kept the pressure on, cutting the deficit to two. The bench stepped up, with Zoé Bayer and
Aundraya Neavins delivering key baskets. Berger's three-point play at 2:43 tied it up at 49, but Gannon squeezed ahead by quarter's end, 51-49.
