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Feb. 7, 2010
Kierstin Filla drove the length of the floor and scored with eight seconds remaining and Clarion missed three layups in the final three seconds, allowing IUP to escape with an 84-83 victory over the Golden Eagles at Tippin Gymnasium. The Crimson Hawks wiped out an 18-point Clarion lead with under 14 minutes remaining to win their third in a row and improve to 13-7 overall and 6-2 in the PSAC West. The Golden Eagles fell to 11-10 and 2-6 in the division and lost to IUP for the 10th straight time over the past five seasons. Eryn Withers scored 22 points, one shy of her career high set versus Missouri Western last year, and Sarah Pastorek extended her run of 20-point games to three with 21. Withers added a team-high nine rebounds, one more than Pastorek, and Pastorek dished out four assists while making four steals. Pastorek had 25 points and 12 rebounds in a victory at Slippery Rock and 21 points and nine boards in a win over Edinboro and is averaging almost 14 points and seven rebounds in eight PSAC West games to establish herself as the frontrunner for division freshman of the year honors. Lacey Claar finished with 15 points, Filla had 12 and Hillary Shope contributed 10 points, with nine coming from the free throw line in 10 attempts. Filla dished out five assists to become the second player in IUP history with 400, finishing the day with 402 to join Patti Connaghan, who had 499 from 1984-88. Lizzie Suwala hit five 3-pointers and led Clarion with 28 points. Rachel Graeff had 13 and Bethany Koch and Janelle Zabresky had 11. The Golden Eagles shot 50 percent in the first half while building a 47-31 lead but made only 7 of 28 for 25 percent in the second half, including 3 of 23 from inside the 3-point arc, to help IUP erase the deficit. With the win IUP moved into a second place tie with California in the PSAC West after the Vulcans dropped a 72-61 decision to undefeated Gannon on Sunday. The Crimson Hawks lost to the Vulcans 69-60 at home earlier this season, and the teams meet again on February 17 in California. The lead changed hands five times in the final 1:10, the final time on Filla's game winner. Clarion opted not to call a time out and instead quickly got the ball inside to Suwala, who missed the first of three shots in a wild final sequence. Graeff grabbed the offensive board but could not connect, and Zabresky's final attempt rolled off the rim as the horn sounded. Aleya Miller made two free throws to cap an 11-4 Clarion run and give the Golden Eagles a 63-45 lead with 13:53 left. But the tide began to turn on back-to-back 3-pointers by Withers and Vianca Tejada and a bucket by Filla that cut the gap to 10 with 11:56 remaining. IUP trailed 68-60 with 6:59 left but scored six points in a span of just 33 seconds on baskets by Withers and Filla and two free throws by Claar. The margin stayed between one and five points over the next five minutes before the Crimson Hawks were finally able to take their first lead since the opening two minutes of the game at 80-79 on a layup by Withers with 70 seconds to go. Suwala put Clarion back in front with a basket before Shope grabbed an offensive rebound and was fouled by Zabresky, making both free throws for an 82-81 IUP lead. Zabresky made a pair from the line on the other end with 14 seconds left before Filla provided the Crimson Hawks with their narrow margin of victory. IUP plays consecutive PSAC West home games for the first time this season when the Crimson Hawks host Lock Haven on Wednesday and Mercyhurst on Saturday. |
