Women sneak past pesky Mercyhurst

Looking to continue their winning ways, the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Crimson Hawks traveled to Erie, Pa., to take on the Mercyhurst Lakers, a team that they beat 100-47 Jan. 19.

This time, the score was much closer, as the Crimson Hawks held off a late Lakers rally, winning 72-64. 

The Crimson Hawks can’t seem to shake the injury-bug. After getting Amy Fairman back from injury, Wednesday, they lost another player to injury in guard Talon Watson. 

The Crimson Hawks haven’t let the rash of injuries slow them down.

Against the Lakers, Fairman had arguably her best performance of the season for the Crimson Hawks as she scored a career-high 21 points along with four rebounds. Fairman shot 8-of-12 from the field for the Crimson Hawks. Marita Mathe also chipped in a game-high 21 points to help pace the Crimson Hawks. 

“Amy was big for us,” Head Coach Jeff Dow said. “Obviously we didn’t have the scoring balance that we are used to, but it was hard to have that with the way we had to balance our lineups.”

In the game, there were 55 combined foul calls as four players fouled out. The Crimson Hawks saw Melanie Todd and Zhane Brooks foul out, and the Lakers were forced to play without Kaylee Foster and Abby Allen. 

Fairman, Lindsay Stamp and Ashley Stoner all played in foul trouble and finished the game with four fouls.

“It was tough for us to juggle our lineups, especially because we were missing three players,” Dow said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen that many foul calls in a game.”

Even though they had to deal with foul trouble, it didn’t stop the Crimson Hawks from playing suffocating defense. On the day, the Crimson Hawks forced 22 turnovers and allowed the Lakers to shoot just 45 percent from the field, including 3-of-17 from behind the arc.

For the Lakers, Foster had a team-high 16 points and two rebounds. Alayna White chipped in with 14 points and five rebounds and Taylor Krusinski had ten points and two rebounds. 

With the result of the game still in question, the Crimson Hawks defense helped seal the win, as Stamp came up with three consecutive steals which lead to six fast-break points for the Crimson Hawks. 

“The defensive sequence at the end of the game was huge,” Dow said. “Lindsay did a great job of applying pressure and forcing them into bad decisions.”

Following the season-sweep of the Lakers, the Crimson Hawks turn their attention to the Fighting Scots of Edinboro, who sit just one game ahead of the Crimson Hawks in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West division standings.

Last time out against the Fighting Scots, the Crimson Hawks fell 73-62, on Jan. 23.