Seton Hill closed out the home portion of their PSAC Crossover schedule with a matchup with undefeated Shepherd on Sunday afternoon in the McKenna Center. The Griffins and the Rams played a back and forth contest with the Griffins hitting the final big basket of the contest as they knocked off the Rams by the score of 61-59. SHU improves to 9-4 overall and 4-1 in PSAC play while Shepherd drops to 10-1 overall and 4-1 in the PSAC. The Griffins are tied for first place in the PSAC West with a 4-1 conference record.
The Griffins came out of the gates flying, taking a 10-2 lead over the Rams less than four minutes into the contest.
Sonia Sarda opened the scoring with two free throws before
Katie Nolan hit three straight baskets and
Cheyenne Trest closed out the little run with a basket. Another Nolan basket gave the Griffins a 12-4 advantage midway through the quarter. Shepherd scored the next six points before
Joi Burleigh hit a basket to give the Griffins a 14-10 lead.
Shepherd scored the opening basket of the second quarter but
Madelyn Fischer drilled a three to put the Griffins in front 17-12 early in the quarter. The Rams responded with six straight to take an 18-17 lead.
Samantha Kosmacki hit two free throws and Sarda hit a jumper to put the Griffins back in front 21-18 with 4:26 to play before the half. The teams entered the halftime break tied at 27.
There were four ties and six lead changes over the first six minutes of the third quarter.
Christiane Frye gave SHU the biggest lead of the quarter, three at 40-37 with 3:49 to play. Shepherd build their lead to three at 45-42 but two free throws from Frye cut the Rams lead to one, 45-44, after three quarters of play.
Fischer opened the fourth quarter scoring by draining a three to put the Griffins back in front 47-45. Shepherd answered with a 7-0 run before Nolan and Trest scored to trim the Shepherd advantage to 52-51 with 5:30 to play in regulation. Five straight from the Rams gave them a 57-51 lead with 4:16 to play. Trest cut the lead to 57-53 with a layup with 3:31 to play. Nolan answered two free throws with a basket as SHU was down 59-55 with 2:14 to play. Two consecutive steals from Frye set up a Sarda three pointer that cut the Rams lead to 59-58 with a minute to play. After an offensive rebound, Frye picked up another steal to give the Griffins the ball with 36 seconds to play. Trest then found Nolan under the basket for an open layup with gave SHU a 60-59 lead with 16 seconds remaining. After a Shepherd timeout with seven seconds left, Frye got her fourth steal in two minutes, this one with four seconds to play. Frye was fouled and hit one of two free throws and a last second shot from Shepherd came up short, giving the Griffins the win.
Nolan just missed a double double with 18 points and 9 rebounds. Sarda finished with 13 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals. Frye also reached double figures with 10 points. She also added six rebounds, four steals and two assists.
Seton Hill forced 17 Shepherd turnovers while committing just 13 and pulled down 33 rebounds.
The Griffins will take a break for the holidays and return to action on New Year's Eve at Frostburg State.
