LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Lock Haven University (12-12, 9-11 PSAC) used a 26-0 first-half run to gain the lead and never looked back as the Bald Eagles cruised to an 85-59 victory over visiting West Chester University (7-18, 5-14 PSAC) in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) women's basketball action on Saturday afternoon in Thomas Fieldhouse.
The win extends Lock Haven's unbeaten streak to four games which is its longest winning streak of the season and longest unbeaten stretch since a five-game run in 2019. Lock Haven also booked a fourth-straight trip to the PSAC Women's Basketball Tournament with the victory.
Lock Haven took the lead and used an effective long-range game to keep pace with the visiting Golden Rams early in the contest. Carly Fitzmorris (Hamburg, N.J./Pope John XXIII) opened the scoring for the Bald Eagles with a trey and Brooke Lawyer (Hanover, Pa./Delone Catholic) capped off the first-quarter scoring with a three-pointer of her own, but it was West Chester owning a 16-15 lead after 10 minutes of play.
West Chester's lead didn't last long. In the second quarter, the Rams went 0-for 15 from the floor over the first eight-plus minutes of the frame, while the Bald Eagles were efficient from that the floor and surged to a sizable lead.
Audrey Weigl (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) knocked down a three-pointer with 9:27 to play in the opening half to hand LHU the lead. From there, the Bald Eagles notched 20 unanswered points over the next seven-plus minutes of the second quarter as the LHU lead ballooned to 22 points at a 38-16 margin with 1:43 to play in the opening half.
The teams traded points over the final minute of the half as the Bald Eagles owned a 40-20 lead at the intermission.
Lock Haven shot at a blistering 7-of-11 (63.6%) clip from beyond the arc in the opening half, while Lawyer and Fitzmorris led the Bald Eagles offense over the first 20 minutes with 13 and 10 points, respectively.
Out of the halftime break, Lock Haven struck first at the offensive end as Parker knocked in a hook shot to push the LHU advantage back to 22 at a 42-20 tally. Parker scored 11 points in the third quarter as the Bald Eagles lead surged to a game-high 32 points at a 61-29 score with two minutes to play in the third stanza.
Lock Haven converted at will in quarter number three, shooting 9-of-12 (75%) from the floor and taking a 63-34 lead into the final frame.
West Chester outscored Lock Haven in the fourth quarter, but it wasn't enough as the Bald Eagles rolled to an 85-59 victory over the Golden Rams.
Parker led all scorers with 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Lawyer added 19 points, while Fitzmorris rounded out Lock Haven's trio of players in double figures with a dozen points.
Lock Haven shot as a sultry 55.1% (27-of-49) clip from the floor, including a 62.5% (10-of-16) effort form beyond the arc. LHU's 55.1% shooting performance marked its highest team shooting percentage in a game since the team shot 57.4% in a victory over Cheyney University on January 17, 2015.
The Bald Eagles owned a 47-38 edge in the rebounding department with Jaynelle Robinson (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport (Monroe CC)) leading the way with nine boards.
Up Next:
The Bald Eagles round out the home part of the schedule on Wednesday, February 23 when they host East Stroudsburg. Tip-off against the Warriors is set for 5:30 p.m.
