SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — In a nail-biter at Morrow Field House, Clarion (12-9, 7-8 PSAC) was edged out by Slippery Rock (7-14, 5-10 PSAC), by a 78-72 score. The Golden Eagles had the upper hand in rebounds, but The Rock capitalized on Clarion's 16 turnovers, turning them into 24 crucial points.
Kendall Berger was on fire, scoring 20 points, hitting 5 of 8 from downtown, and snagging eight rebounds.
Arianna Seitz put up a double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds, adding two steals to her stat line.
Niah Smedley chipped in 14 points, five assists, and two steals.
Zoe Guice added eight points and three assists, despite four turnovers.
The first quarter saw Clarion coming out strong, with Guice hitting two 3-pointers, her first tying the game at 3-3 just a minute in. Smedley was a force in the paint, driving home a fast-break layup at 7:00 to keep things tight. Despite putting up 10 points in the paint, Clarion trailed 23-18 at the close of the quarter.
In the second quarter, a quick 3-pointer from
Alyssa Terza, assisted by Zoé Bayer, brought Clarion within two at 23-21. Despite some gritty defense and bench contributions, The Rock's execution in the paint and on fast breaks proved challenging.
Claire Noble's layup at 6:55 provided a spark, but Clarion trailed 41-32 by halftime.
Clarion came out swinging in the third, narrowing the gap with a 6-0 run, highlighted by a Guice layup at 7:33. Seitz was a standout, grabbing offensive boards and scoring on the break, including a layup at 4:07 that brought Clarion within a point. Despite their efforts, The Rock kept their edge, finishing the quarter up 61-52.
In the final quarter, Clarion put up a valiant fight. Berger's two clutch 3-pointers, including one in the final 20 seconds off a
Dominika Logue assist, trimmed the deficit. Even with a 20-point quarter, the Golden Eagles couldn't quite catch The Rock, wrapping up the game with a 78-72 loss.
