CLARION, Pa.—
Kendall Berger exploded for a career high 22 points, all in the second half, as the Golden Eagles (7-4, 2-3 PSAC) held off Shepherd (2-7, 0-4 PSAC) for an 81-74 victory at Tippin Gymnasium. Clarion turned back a strong comeback effort from the Rams, outscoring them over the final 6:20 of regulation after Shepherd tied the score.
Berger came off the bench and shot 7-of-12 from the field, including 3-of-4 from three point range, to post a game- and career-high 22 points. All of those points came in the final 20 minutes as the Golden Eagles and Rams went back and forth, trading buckets and leads in the third and fourth quarters. Clarion led by as many as 10 points in the first quarter but Shepherd rallied, pulling to within four points at halftime and leading for much of the third quarter.
The Golden Eagles hit the ground running, setting the pace early with a series of sharp plays.
Arianna Seitz was pivotal, landing a jumper and layup before sinking a free throw to edge Clarion ahead 5-3 by the 8:10 mark. Their defense shone, converting turnovers into points with seven steals. Guice's three-pointer at 4:09 pushed the lead to 14-7. Despite Shepherd's push to close in, the Golden Eagles ended the first quarter up 21-16.
In the second quarter, the Golden Eagles held their ground, with
Niah Smedley's critical tip-in at 4:07 keeping them in the lead. Seitz's block at 8:06 was a defensive highlight, stymying the Rams' scoring attempts. As Shepherd inched closer,
Aundraya Neavins calmly sank two free throws with 20 seconds left, securing a 31–27 halftime advantage for Clarion.
The third quarter saw the Rams lead for a solid portion before Clarion pulled away near the end of the period, powered by Berger's layup and ensuing free throw at 0:31. Guice and Seitz were on point, with Guice hitting essential free throws at 5:24 to narrow the gap and Seitz draining a three-pointer at 5:12 to bring it level. By the end of the quarter, the Golden Eagles were up 55–51, holding steady against Shepherd's 24-point effort.
In the fourth, Clarion sealed the deal with decisive plays, led by Berger's offensive prowess. Her critical free throws at 7:59 tied it at 57, and a rebound tip-in at 4:25 widened the margin. Neavins' layup at 5:59 kept the momentum going, setting up a strong finish. A key moment came with 1:26 left to play when Berger drained a trey from the corner through contact, and the freshman finished off the four-point play to increase the Golden Eagles' lead to 77-69.
Seitz scored 19 points on 7-of-15 shooting, while Smedley added 10 points. Terza had a game-high 10 rebounds.
