BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - The IUP women's basketball team went scoreless in the game's last 2:11 while West Chester scored the final five points over that stretch to defeat the top-seeded Crimson Hawks 63-59 in the semifinals of the 2015 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships on Saturday afternoon at the Nelson Field House at Bloomsburg Univerisity. 

The loss ends the PSAC tournament run for the Crimson Hawks, who were seeking their first conference title since 2009. They'll head into next week's NCAA tournament with a 25-3 overall record and await word of seeding and location as the Division II selection show airs at 10 p.m.

Leslie Stapleton (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) hit the Crimson Hawks' last bucket, a three-pointer to give them a 59-58 lead with 2:11 to go in the game. Neither team would score again until Dallas Ely hit a three-pointer for West Chester to put the Golden Rams on top 61-59 with 1:17 to play. Marita Mathe (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) had a look for deep at the other end for IUP, but her shot missed and West Chester looked to run the clock out. Ely knocked down a pair of free throws with under 20 seconds to play, giving West Chester a four-point lead and the Crimson Hawks' last chance on offense included another missed three-pointer as the Golden Rams clinched.

PSAC West Athlete of the Year Lindsay Stamp (Erie, Pa. /Mercyhurst Prep) recorded her 10th double-double of the year with 13 points and 12 rebounds, both team-highs for IUP. Stapleton and Ashley Stoner (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Thomas Jefferson) each added 10 points for the Crimson Hawks. IUP narrowly outshot the Golden Rams 35.6 percent to 34.3 percent, but West Chester owned a 45-to-42 edge on the glass, which included 16 offensive rebounds. 

The Crimson Hawks looked to be in control early, jumping out to a 17-9 lead a little over six minutes into the game. They extended their lead to 10 at 26-16 when Stoner knocked down a pair from the line and held a 31-21 lead with 1:14 to play. West Chester came back with six straight points before the half as IUP went into the break with a 31-27 lead. 

IUP held the lead for nearly the entire second half, going on top 46-49 when Marina Wareham (New Wilmington, Pa. /Kennedy Catholic) drilled a three with 13:47 to play in the game. The Golden Rams came back with an 8-0 run to take a one-point lead, but the Crimson Hawks responded with 10 straight points to go up by nine with just over seven to play. Stamp started the run with a bucket, but Amy Fairman (Creekside, Pa. /Marion Center) did most of the damage with three straight baskets over a two-minute span. 

West Chester made its final run starting at 6:31 on the clock, getting nine straight points, capped by a three by Ely to put the Golden Rams on top 58-56 with 2:40 to play. 

This was IUP's first loss since falling to California (PA) on Feb. 4. The Crimson Hawks had won sixth straight games heading into this semifinal in Bloomsburg. West Chester will now play the winner of Cal and Bloomsburg for the conference title on Sunday afternoon. 

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