Boxscore

INDIANA, Pa. - The Goldey-Beacom College women's basketball team suffered a 75-59 season-opening non-conference loss on the road Saturday at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

The Lightning (0-1) led 35-27 with a minute gone by in the second half when the Crimson Haws' Arika Ullman knocked down three consecutive three-pointers to help IUP pull in front, 36-35.  GBC battled back to take a one-point lead on two made free-throws by junior forward Akilah Sewell, but suffered a devastating blow when senior Jacinda Jones suffered an injury that would knock her out of the game at the 13-minute mark.

Without their fourth-year captain and leading scorer the past two years on the perimeter, the Lightning leaned on post-players Sewell (14 points, career-high 22 rebounds, four blocks) and junior forward Irene Hudson (15 points, six rebounds). Junior guard/forward Devonne Richardson also scored 12 of her 15 points in the second half to help keep the Lightning within striking distance until the final minutes of regulation.

But after junior guard Ashley Rosario made the second of her two free-throws to pull GBC within one, 52-51 with 5:57 left to play, the Crimson Hawks pulled away with a 12-0 run to go up 64-51. IUP would go on to make 13-of-14 from the line in the final 1:34 and win by their largest margin of the afternoon, 75-59.

Not having Jones on the floor after a first half performance that included eight points on 3-of-7 shooting from the field (2-of-4 from long-range) hurt the Lightning in the second half. They shot 42-percent from the field in the first half and just 22-percent in the second half.

GBC was also plagued by turnovers as the Crimson Hawks turned 23 Lightning miscues into 24 points. IUP also benefitted tremendously from a 32-5 advantage in bench points.

Still, head coach Jen Carleton's squad proved very competitive against a Crimson Hawk team that finished 19-8 and 11-3 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference last season. The Lightning, who led 33-27 at the half, outrebounded IUP 49-33 and forced six ties and eight different lead changes. Ultimately, it was not enough as the Crimson Hawks boasted a better field goal percentage (43-33) and a better free-throw percentage (77-57) to earn the program's first victory at their brand new Kovalchick Complex.

The Lightning host their season home-opener at the Jones Center on Tues. night at 6 p.m. against non-conference foe Cheyney.