Kutztown's balance too much for Clarion in victory

KUTZTOWN, PA. (January 3, 2009) – Senior guard Rachel Wisemiller (Hazleton/Hazleton) scored a team-high 17 points to help the Kutztown University women’s basketball team defeat Clarion University, 88-77, Sunday afternoon in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) crossover contest at Keystone Arena.

In leading five players in double digits, Wisemiller scored 14 of her points and made all four of her 3-pointers in the opening 20 minutes as the Golden Bears raised their overall record to 8-3. Overall, it was the balanced effort of Kutztown that was responsible for the victory.

Freshman guard Ashley Wood (Royersford/Spring-Ford) scored career-high 16 points. Senior center Chauntelle Schroeder (Toronto, Ontario, Canada/Mother Teresa) collected 13 points and six rebounds. Senior forward Vivian Melvin (Chichester/Chichester) contributed 12 points. Junior forward Melissa McQuade (Pittsburgh/Shaler) finished with 11 points extending her double digit scoring streak to 15 straight games.

Lizzie Suwala and Courtney Healy led Clarion by scoring a game-high 21 points each. Bethany Koch contributed 17 points for the Golden Eagles (7-4).

Wood scored 10 or her points after intermission. Although Wood did not score a point during a late 8-0 surge, she fueled the decisive run with some fast fingers, super speed and dynamite defense as Kutztown finally pulled free from Clarion. With the game tied for the 12^th time, 64-64, with seven minutes, 56 seconds remaining, Kutztown took the lead for good on a Kristen Murray (Harrisburg/Trinity) layup with 7:24 left.

During the run, Wood earned one of her three steals and her final assist of the game went to McQuade, who buried a 3-pointer from the right wing with 5:18 remaining. That gave KU a 72-64 lead. Clarion would get as close as five points (77-72) with 3:20 remaining.  

Early in the second half when Clarion was making baskets, Wood matched the Golden Eagles by delivering timely shots. Each time Clarion grabbed a brief advantage, Wood answered. When Clarion took its largest advantage of the game, 49-46 six minutes into the second half, Wood immediately scored a layup.

Later in the half, Wood buried a 3-pointer in the left corner off of a Melvin assist that gave the Golden Bears a 57-56 edge with 10:30 remaining.  It was Kutztown’s first lead in five minutes of the second half.

Kutztown carried a 38-36 lead to the locker room thanks to Wisemiller’s pinpoint shooting. For Wisemiller, the basket appeared to be the size of Lake Erie as she tossed in three consecutive 3-pointers during one stretch of the first half. The first half featured four ties and four lead changes. The Golden Bears raced to a pair of nine-point leads only to have Clarion rally both times.

Kutztown returns to action Saturday afternoon when it visits Edinboro in a PSAC crossover contest starting at 1 p.m. The game can be heard on the Golden Bear Radio Network.

 --KU--