Box Score
WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Paige Elliott poured in a career-high 20 points, and Allison Hostetter added 16, as host West Chester University downed visiting Bloomsburg, 79-65, and gained sole possession of first place in the Eastern Division of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Saturday afternoon inside Hollinger Field House.
West Chester (13-3, 9-3 PSAC) is off to its best start in league play since 2004-05 and increased its win streak to a season-high five games with the win. Bloomsburg (14-4, 8-4) fell into second place in the league standings and saw its four-game winning streak snapped in the process.
Elliott, who has averaged 10 points per game over West Chester’s last five outings, picked the right stage in which to post her first 20-point game. She scored 12 of her game-high 20 in the second half as the hosts expanded its three-point halftime advantage to the final 14-point margin.
Bloomsburg, who entered the game second in the conference in 3-point shooting percentage, went 5-for-18 (27.8 percent) from beyond the arc, including 2-for-10 in the second half. The Huskies took a 41-39 lead two minutes into the second half. However, the Golden Rams answered with a 14-1 run over the next 3:41 to take a 53-42 lead that it would not relinquish. Elliott scored five of her 20 during the decisive run.
West Chester shot 49.2 percent (30 of 61) from the field, including 42.1 percent from 3-point range (8-for-19) in the win. The Rams held the Huskies to eight points under their per-game average and forced 19 turnovers, scoring 21 points off those Bloomsburg miscues.
Meghan Kerrigan scored 10 points in support of Elliott and Hostetter as West Chester put three players in double figures. The junior point guard also contributed five rebounds and four assists in a solid all-around effort.
The Rams ended a personal two-game skid against the Huskies, who had taken four of the last five in the overall series before Saturday. Bloomsburg falls into second place in the league standings, one game ahead of Millersville, who lost to Kutztown, 63-57.
West Chester travels to winless Cheyney on Wednesday evening, before a trip to East Stroudsburg next Saturday.
