Tough Second Quarter Dooms West Chester At Shepherd

Box Score SHEPHERDSTOWN, W. Va. - West Chester University women's basketball jumped out to a 21-11 lead, but Shepherd University closed out the first half on a 22-6 run that ultimately propelled itself to a 71-66 victory in West Virginia on Wednesday night.
 
Redshirt senior guard Alexis Anderson (Allentown, Pa. / Louis E. Dieruff) led the Golden Rams (8-14 overall, 6-11 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference) with 22 points off the bench in the loss to the Rams (18-5, 12-5). Anderson is fifth on the team in minutes per game but leads West Chester at 12.7 points per contest.
 
WCU freshman forward Sasha Marvel (Medford Lakes, N.J. / Caravel Academy) became the sixth player in team history to record at least eight steals in a single game. She also chipped in with 10 points and nine rebounds and didn't turn the ball over once in 27 minutes on the floor.
 
Anderson knocked down a jumper to bring West Chester within three with 3:13 left in the third quarter, but Shepherd separated itself quickly and never let the game get close again.
 
The Golden Rams play at home for the first time in two weeks on Saturday when they take on Bloomsburg University at 2 p.m. West Chester is two wins behind Bloomsburg for the final playoff spot out of the PSAC East Division. The Golden Rams beat the Huskies 74-64 in Bloomsburg on January 25.
 
Six teams from each of the two divisions make the PSAC Tournament, and West Chester has five games left on its regular season schedule. The Golden Rams clinched a spot in the tournament in each of head coach Kiera Wooden's first five seasons leading the team.