Box Score
WEST CHESTER, Pa. – So.,
Dallas Ely scored 25 points, and So.,
Anna Kuntz added a career-high 18 – all in the second half – as host West Chester topped visiting Mercyhurst, 78-73, inside Hollinger Field House Friday afternoon in non-league women's basketball action.
West Chester (9-3) has now won three straight and 9 of its last 10 with the victory over Mercyhurst (2-9).
Ely's 25 points marked the sixth time in West Chester's last seven games that she eclipsed 20 points in a contest. She entered Friday's game against the Lakers tied for the league lead in scoring. She added eight rebounds and five steals Friday as well.
Kendall Benovy contributed her second double-double of the season with 12 points and team high 11 rebounds.
The Golden Rams fell behind early, surrendering the first eight points of the game to the Lakers. However, West Chester knocked out an 11-1 run and took the lead for good on a 3-pointer from Ely with 14 minutes left in the first half.
The hosts increased that advantage to double digits with nine minutes left, taking a 25-15 lead. Ely sparked the run with five points while
Chikisha Steele-Hook added four, and
Brittany Sicinski had three of her nine points. Steele-Hook finished with six points and three rebounds off the bench for the Rams.
West Chester held a slim 33-29 lead at halftime thanks to a 14-8 run from Mercyhurst to close out the first stanza, after the Lakers had fallen behind by 10.
The Lakers would eventually close the gap to one, 49-48, with 11 minutes left in the game. But, the Golden Rams accounted for the next eight points in the game over a four-minute span that put the hosts back in front, 57-48, with 7:30 to go.
Kuntz then went on a run all by herself, scoring six straight points over a two-minute span that increased West Chester's lead to 11 (66-55). The Rams would push that lead to a game-high 12 points with just over one minute left.
Mercyhurst made one final run at West Chester, outscoring the Rams 11-4 in the final minute of the game. However, it was too much of a deficit to come out from under for the Lakers.
Sicinski added four assists and four rebounds to her nine-point night.
Mercyhurst's Alayna White scored 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to pace the Lakers Friday.
West Chester hosts No. 2 Gannon University Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. The Golden Knights are unbeaten on the year at 13-0.
