Box Score

EAST STROUDSBURG – East Stroudsburg University led No. 2-ranked Gannon at halftime, 29-28, but the Golden Knights started the second half on a 7-0 run and pulled away for a 67-48 win in non-conference women's basketball on Friday afternoon at Koehler Fieldhouse.

Freshman forward Allison Howard had 12 points and eight rebounds and junior guard Ryann Fiascki added 11 points, including nine of ESU's first 19, as the Warriors looked for their first win over a Top 25 team since the WBCA/USA Today DII poll began in 1996-97.

Nettie Blake had 16 points and seven rebounds, Mollie Sebald scored 14 and Brittany Batts had 11 for Gannon (13-0), which has been ranked second in the nation in every poll this year. Jen Papich, last year's PSAC West Athlete of the Year, had nine points and six rebounds, and point guard Kelley Sundberg had seven points, five rebounds and six assists.

The first half was tightly contested after ESU (6-6) cut a 14-6 deficit to one point with an 8-1 run midway through the period.

The Warriors took their first lead with a 7-0 stretch, as Fiascki hit a three-pointer to tie the game at 17-all, then hit a floater to put them ahead, and set up a layup by junior forward Kelsey Murray for a 21-17 lead with 5:50 left in the first half.

Gannon scored the next six points before a three-pointer by senior guard Halie Cintron gave ESU a 24-23 lead with 2:30 left in the half. Cintron hit another three in the last five seconds of the half as the Warriors led 29-28 at intermission.

Batts had a layup and three-pointer to key Gannon's hot start to the second half, but the Warriors hung around, getting a layup and two free throws from Howard to trim the margin to 36-35 five minutes into the period.

Batts hit another three to gain some separation, and Sebald's first three of the game gave Gannon its first double-figure lead (49-39) with just under nine minutes left.

ESU had a better shooting percentage (41.5 to 36.1) than Gannon, but committed twice as many turnovers, 28-14.

Gannon's No. 2 national ranking is tied for the highest the Warriors have faced. They fell at No. 2 California, 106-43, in December 2003.

ESU, which entered the new year with a winning record for the first time since 2008-09, hosts Clarion (4-6) on Saturday at 1 p.m. The Golden Eagles are coming off a 72-52 loss at Bloomsburg.