The streak continues; Red Raiders win tough road trip

By rscaife
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Updated: February 16, 2017

Courtesy of Shippensburg Athletics
Women’s Basketball Clinches First Ever PSAC East Title With Win at West Chester, 80-56
SU posts season-best in first-half points in dominant win

WEST CHESTER, Pa. – The Shippensburg women’s basketball team clinched the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division title Wednesday with a convincing 80-56 win over West Chester in a matchup from Hollinger Fieldhouse.

By securing the No. 1 seed in the East for the PSAC Tournament, SU (21-5, 16-4 PSAC) will have a bye in the first round and with a win in the PSAC Quarterfinals, will host the four remaining teams in the conference tournament. This is SU’s first ever PSAC East title and first division title since the 2000-01 Raiders won the PSAC West. The win Wednesday was SU’s 16th consecutive victory, extending the longest winning streak ever under head coach Kristy Trn.

The Raiders were again efficient shooting the basketball, finishing with a 48.3 field goal percentage. Leading the charge was senior Colleen Young (Huntingdon Valley, Pa./Archbishop Wood), who paced the Raiders with 20 points on 6-of-13 shooting from the field while totaling six rebounds and five assists. Young, who made all six of her free throw attempts, is now 31 points shy of 1,000 for her career.

Senior Morgan Griffith (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg Area) turned in her fifth double-double of the season, scoring 17 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. Graduate Stephanie Knauer (Hatfield, Pa./North Penn) finished with 12 points and six rebounds.

The Raiders put the pressure on West Chester quickly by outscoring the Rams 27-10 in the first quarter on 11-of-18 (61.1 percent) shooting. SU kept the foot on the pedal in the second frame, adding 21 points to its total for a season-best 48 first-half points. The Raiders led by 20 points at halftime and by 26 after three quarters. Overall, in the two meetings this season, SU outscored the Rams by 58 points.

SU added 17 points off the bench Wednesday as junior Victoria Blackburn (Hummelstown, Pa./Hershey) led the reserve contingent with nine points, including a pair of three-pointers. The Raiders finished with eight three-pointers as a team.

Meanwhile, with 63 points Wednesday, the Raider starting five eclipsed 6,000 combined career points. Young, Griffith, Knauer, senior Logan Snyder (Lewistown, Pa./Mifflin County) and senior Lauren Gold (Elkins Park, Pa./Abington Friends) have totaled 6,012 career points between them.

The Raiders will try for a 17th straight win Saturday when they host Cheyney on Senior Day, beginning at 1 p.m. from Heiges Field House.