Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - Senior forward Jessica Martin became the 14th 1,000-point scorer in school history and East Stroudsburg University cut a 21-point second-half deficit to one with less than two minutes remaining, but the Warriors fell 58-54 at Philadelphia University in non-conference women's basketball on Wednesday.

Martin led ESU with 13 points and finished the game with 1,002 career points. She is the first ESU player to hit the 1,000-point mark since former assistant coach DeAnna Rayam in 2010.
 
ESU trailed by 19 (38-19) at halftime, by 21 (45-24) with 16 minutes left and by 17 (52-35) with less than 10 minutes remaining before closing the game on a 19-6 run.

A late 9-0 run cut the Philadelphia U lead from 54-44 with five minutes left to 54-53 with 1:44 remaining, but the Lady Rams held on.

Senior guard Ryann Fiascki and redshirt senior guard Andrea Veres both scored 11 points and sophomore forward Allison Howard added seven points and nine rebounds for ESU (4-7), which returns to PSAC action with home games against IUP on Saturday (1 p.m.) and Seton Hill on Sunday (1 p.m.).

Philadelphia U (9-1) was led by 14 points form Bria Young, 10 points and 14 rebounds by Tori Arnao and 10 points from Alex Heck.

ESU held the Lady Rams to 21.4 percent (6-for-28) in the second half, and 2-for-11 with three turnovers in the final nine minutes, to get back in the game.

Martin scored her 1,000th career point with just over 12 minutes left. Her final field goal with nine minutes remaining started ESU's closing 19-6 surge, and Fiascki hit two free throws, sophomore forward Madison Tamburini made a three-pointer and Howard made two free throws to make it 52-44 before a jumper by Mary Newell (6 points) ended the Warriors' 9-0 run.

ESU responded with another 9-0 run to get within one. Fiascki scored after an offensive rebound by Howard, Veres made three free throws, Fiascki hit another layup and Howard made two free throws to get the Warriors within 54-53 with 1:44 remaining.

Newell had a putback with 1:13 left to give Philadelphia U a 56-53 lead, then Fiascki made one-of-two free throws to bring ESU within 56-54 with 59 seconds remaining.

ESU forced a turnover to gain possession with a chance to tie or take the lead, but turned it over on its subsequent trip. Young missed the front end of a one-and-one for Philadelphia U, but Newell grabbed the rebound and Young sank two free throws for a 58-54 advantage with 10 seconds left.


ESU shot 34.6 percent (18-for-52) overall, 3-for-15 from the three-point line and 15-for-20 from the foul line for its 54 points. Philadelphia U shot 36.4 percent (20-for-55), 2-for-8 from long range and 16-for-24 at the foul line. The Lady Rams had advantages of 42-35 in rebounds and 17-14 in turnovers.

ESU hosts IUP (10-0, 6-0), ranked No. 25 in the most recent WBCA DII coaches poll on December 16, on Saturday at 1 p.m. The Warriors enter with a 3-4 PSAC record and have won their last two conference games.


GAME NOTES
* Martin ranks 14th at ESU in career points (1,002), 7th in rebounds (713) and 2nd in blocks (235).
* She is 4 blocks from the record of 239 held by Sue Richards (1982-85).  Richards ranks 8th and Martin is 9th in career blocks in PSAC history.

* Fiascki moved into ESU's career top 10 with 227 assists.

* Fiascki has 829 career points, followed by Veres with 815.