Box Score  l  Highlights  l  Photo Gallery

EAST STROUDSBURG - Three players scored in double figures and sophomore guard Helena Gemmell had seven points, five rebounds, five assists and nine steals as East Stroudsburg University improved to 4-2 (2-1 PSAC East) with a 75-67 win over Lock Haven in PSAC East women's basketball on Wednesday night at Koehler Fieldhouse.

Junior guard Ryann Fiascki scored 16 points, freshman forward Allison Howard scored 14 and junior forward Jessica Martin had 12 points and eight rebounds for ESU, which used a 17-3 run in just over six minutes spanning halftime to pull away from the Lady Eagles (1-6, 1-2).

ESU trailed 24-22 with 3:05 left in the first half, but closed the period with a 9-3 spurt, then opened the second half with an 8-0 run to take control. The Warriors scored 25 points off 25 Lock Haven turnovers and had 17 steals.

Gemmell, who led PSAC freshmen with 2.7 steals per game last year, had five steals in the first half and four more in the second. She had 68 total steals last season, second-most by a freshman in school history, and has 24 steals through six games this year.

Howard, last week's PSAC East Freshman of the Week, shot 6-for-10 from the field and grabbed five rebounds. Fiascki was 6-for-7 from the floor, made her only three-pointer and was 3-for-5 at the foul line for a season-high 16 points.

Hannah Gildea scored 12 points and Sami Lane had 10, both off the bench, to pace Lock Haven. Marrysa Moyer, fifth in Division II in rebounding entering the week, had seven points and two boards.

The Warriors led by as many as 22 points (68-46) with 5:16 left and had a 72-52 advantage with 2:41 remaining, before Lock Haven closed the margin late in the game.

Thirteen players scored for ESU, led by the three starters in double figures.

A three-point play by Fiascki with 2:35 left in the first half started the Warriors' 17-3 run and put them ahead for good. It was 31-27 at halftime, and ESU scored the first eight points of the second half – on a steal and layup by Gemmell, a putback by Howard, a free throw by Howard and a three-pointer from Gemmell – for a 39-27 lead with 17:40 remaining.

The Warriors led by at least 10 the rest of the way, until Lock Haven cut a 22-point deficit to nine with 18 seconds remaining.

ESU entered ranked second in the PSAC in scoring defense at 57.2 points per game, and held Lock Haven under that number until the final two minutes. They also ranked second in field goal defense (33.9), holding LHU to 36.1 percent and just 1-for-11 from the three-point line, improved upon their 11.4 steals per game with 17, and had five blocked shots – just under their PSAC East-leading 6.0 per game.

ESU takes its 4-2 (2-1 PSAC East) record to Millersville on Saturday. The Marauders (3-3, 1-1), picked as the PSAC East preseason favorite, fell 91-83 to West Chester at home on Wednesday.


GAME NOTES
* ESU's 4-2 start is its best since the 2008-09 season.

* The Warriors' 3-game winning streak after sweeping both games in last weekend's Pocono Classic is tied for their longest since winning 5 straight early in 2008-09.

* Fiascki's 16 points were two off her career-high set at Bloomsburg last year.

* Howard scored a career-high 19 in ESU's last game, a 66-63 win over Philadelphia U on Sunday, to earn the PSAC East Freshman of the Week.

* Gemmell had 8 steals in a game last season against Cheyney – tied for the most at ESU since records are available in 2002-03. (Andrea Veres had 8 vs. West Chester in 2011-12, and Niki Cox had 8 vs. Pitt-Johnstown in 2002-03)

* The PSAC record book lists players with 10 or more steals in a game, which does not include any ESU players.  Therefore, Gemmell's 9 steals at least tie a school record.

* Gemmell is the 2nd ESU player since 2002-03 with 5+ points, rebounds, assists and steals in a game – joining Sheila Gallagher (8 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 steals) at Georgian Court in 2004-05.