Box Score

Highlights: Clarion  l  Lock Haven  l  Coach Smith's thoughts

EAST STROUDSBURG – Sophomore guard Ryann Fiascki hit the game-tying layup with 33 seconds left, then scored seven of East Stroudsburg University's 16 points in overtime as the Warriors survived Clarion's comeback bid for a 76-69 (OT) win in PSAC women's basketball on Wednesday night at Koehler Fieldhouse.

Fiascki scored 13 points with six rebounds and seven assists, sophomore forward Jessica Martin had 12 points and 12 rebounds, junior guard Andrea Veres also had 12 and redshirt sophomore guard Steph Cabald added a career-high 11 for ESU (4-5, 3-2), which earned its third straight PSAC win for just the third time in the last six years.

ESU was coming off a 59-56 win over Lock Haven on Tuesday night and posted a 65-37 win at Cheyney on December 8 in its previous two PSAC games. The Warriors lost a non-conference game at Philadelphia University, 56-53 (OT), last Saturday.

The Warriors previously put together three-game PSAC win streaks last winter (West Chester, Cheyney, Kutztown) and 2008-09. Their last four-game conference streak came during the 2006-07 PSAC East regular season championship season.

Clarion (5-5, 2-3), led by 18 points and 14 rebounds from sophomore Hannah Heeter, ended the second half on a 15-4 run and briefly took the lead on a three-pointer by Tania Holmes with 51 seconds left, but Fiascki scored the next time down and Martin had a block in the last 10 seconds at the defensive end to force overtime.

Martin and Heeter, who were the PSAC East and West Freshmen of the Year, respectively, a year ago, were both held scoreless in the first half but finished with double-doubles. Martin's was her third of the season and seventh of her career.

ESU finished the first half on a 16-7 run to lead 30-22 at intermission, and built its lead to 11 points on two occasions – the latest a 56-45 advantage on a bucket that gave Martin her double-double with 5:58 remaining.

Heeter scored six of Clarion's next 12 points, getting the Golden Eagles within 58-57 on a layup with 1:44 left, and Holmes' three-pointer gave Clarion its first lead (60-58) since the seven-minute mark of the first half as the clock ticked under 60 seconds to play.

Fiascki leveled the score with a driving layup, and Martin blocked a go-ahead layup by Heeter to maintain the tie on Clarion's final possession of regulation.

The Warriors never trailed in the extra session, scoring first on two free throws by Veres and going ahead for good on a jumper by Fiascki with 3:36 remaining.

Fiascki hit two free throws for the game's next points and a 66-62 lead with 1:24 left. Heeter answered with a jumper for Clarion, but senior guard Barb Borst connected on her third three-pointer of the game on an assist from Fiascki with 51 seconds to play. After Clarion missed a three at the other end, Fiascki went 1-for-2 at the line for a 70-64 lead.

Holmes knocked down another three to get Clarion within three (70-67) with 20 seconds to play, but Martin knocked down two free throws, followed by two each from Cabald and Fiascki, to put the game away.

ESU was 22-for-28 (78.6 percent) at the foul line for the game and 11-for-12 in overtime. Fiascki was 7-for-8 at the stripe, Martin was 5-for-6 and Cabald went 4-for-4.

The Warriors held a 47-40 advantage on the glass, getting 12 from Martin and contributions from senior forward Fayola Moise (5 points, 7 rebounds) and freshman guard Helena Gemmell (9 points, 7 rebounds), along with six boards from Fiascki and five points and five rebounds from freshman center Michelle Boggs.

Holmes had 14 points and four assists and Leisha Crawford added 10 points off the bench for Clarion, which had won three straight including a 79-67 win at Kutztown on Tuesday night.

The Warriors are away from action until the new year, returning to the floor on January 4 and 5 with a home conference weekend against IUP and California.