Box Score

EAST STROUDSBURG – Senior forward DeAnna Rayam tied her career-high with 24 points and sophomore guard Cyara Woodridge hit the go-ahead free throws and had the game-clinching steal as East Stroudsburg University upset Clarion, 66-64, in women's basketball on Saturday afternoon at Koehler Fieldhouse.

The Golden Eagles (7-3) led ESU (2-8) throughout the second half and held a 62-58 advantage with 2:40 remaining following a jumper by Bethany Koch. Rayam hit her fourth three-pointer of the game on the Warriors' next possession and senior guard Mel Villano (12 points) had a steal and layup with 2:03 left to put ESU ahead 63-62.

Clarion reclaimed the lead on a jumper by Rachel Graeff before Woodridge was fouled at the other end and hit the game-tying and go-ahead foul shots for a 65-64 advantage. Courtney Healy missed a three-pointer from the corner and sophomore forward Jennifer Scherer claimed the last of her nine rebounds with a minute to go, and senior center Alexa Detzi had an offensive rebound after the Warriors missed at the end of their possession.

Villano went to the line for two free throws with 15 seconds left, missed the first and made the second for a 66-64 lead. Clarion's Koch nearly turned the ball over in the backcourt after a timeout before Woodridge took it away as Koch drove to the basket with two seconds left to seal the victory.

Clarion led 31-27 at halftime after giving up an early 17-5 lead. The Warriors scored the next 11 points to get back in the game, with five players scoring and Scherer sinking her second three-pointer of the first half, and battled back to take their first lead of the game at 24-23 with 5:24 left in the period.

Rayam gave the Warriors a 27-25 advantage with a three-pointer just over a minute later before Clarion scored the final six points of the half to lead at intermission. ESU answered with the first five points of the second half on a layup by Detzi and a three-point play by Woodridge, and Clarion's 59-54 lead with five minutes to play was the largest for either team in the final 30 minutes of the contest.

Rayam's 24 points, on 10-for-21 shooting, tied her career-high which she set against West Chester last season. Villano had 12 points to hit double figures for the fifth time in the first 10 games and Woodridge scored nine points while going 7-for-9 at the foul line.

ESU outrebounded Clarion 44-35, its third game with a rebounding advantage this season, led by nine from Detzi which matched her career-high. Scherer had eight points and nine rebounds and Rayam (six rebounds) and Woodridge (five) also contributed on the glass.

Clarion put four players in double figures, paced by 19 points and 11 rebounds from Sara Pratt. Lizzie Suwala had 16 points, Koch scored 12 and Graeff had 10. The Golden Eagles received 62 of their 64 points from their starters, with Courtney Healy also chipping in with five, while Janelle Zabresky (two points, six rebounds) was the only player to score off the bench.

The Warriors shot 43.1 percent from the field (22-for-51), their season-high, while holding Clarion to a 34.8 percent (23-for-66) effort. Scherer and Detzi both had eight rebounds on the defensive end.

ESU takes on No. 6 Gannon on Sunday afternoon at Koehler Fieldhouse, with the Golden Knights (13-0) coming off an 86-68 win at Kutztown on Saturday.