Box Score (New/Sortable Format) EDINBORO, Pa. (Jan. 23, 2013) – The Edinboro women's basketball team (13-3, 10-2 PSAC) set a school record for blocks in a single game, led by senior Samantha Blazetic's school-best eight blocks and the Fighting Scots swatted away a comeback attempt by No. 19 Indiana (Pa.) (13-5, 8-4) with a 73-62 victory on Wednesday evening at McComb Fieldhouse.
Blazetic tied her own school record of eight swats as part of Edinboro's 15 total blocks on the night. She also scored a game-high 18 points with six rebounds. Wednesday's performance helped vault the senior center into third place on the all-time PSAC blocks list with 258, passing both Clarion's Carlita Jones (253 between 1991-95) and California (Pa.)'s Susie Gyarfas (254, 2001-03). Blazetic also moved to 700 rebounds for her career and becomes the eighth Edinboro player to score 1,000 points and haul in 700 rebounds.
The Fighting Scots led the majority of the game, but had to hold off a furious rally from nationally-ranked IUP late in the second half. Edinboro began the second stanza on an 18-4 run to blow the game open, eventually taking a 22-point advantage at 55-33 with 8:24 to play.
IUP refused to go away quietly, however. The Crimson Hawks erupted for an 18-3 break of their own to draw to within six at 57-51 just four minutes later. A pair of free throws from
Lauren Hippo put Edinboro ahead by eight with 3:53 showing on the clock, but two free throws and a layup from Amy Fairman sliced the Boro lead to just four.
Blazetic gave Edinboro a huge basket following a Scots timeout, laying a shot off the glass and in. Fairman missed a layup attempt on the other end and then was whistled for a foul, sending
Kiara Brown to the line. The 1,000-point scorer knocked down two free throws to put the Scots up by eight (63-55) with 2:03 remaining and IUP would never draw closer. IUP attempted to lengthen the game by fouling over the final two minutes, but Edinboro sank 12 straight free throws to finally put the game on ice.
The two teams traded leads early, sharing six ties during the opening period. IUP held Edinboro without a field goal during a six-minute span to take a five-point lead (19-14) halfway through the first half. Edinboro responded with a 14-4 break to establish control, eventually taking a 30-23 lead to intermission.
Brown finished with 13 points, three assists and three steals. Aignee Freeland recorded 12 points with five rebounds and fellow freshman
Lauren Hippo tallied a career-high 11 points.
Darche' Jackson filled the stat sheet with six points and tied a career-high with 11 rebounds along with five assists.
Laurel Lindsay had a career-high four blocks.
IUP placed three players in double-figure scoring, led by Amy Fairman's 17 points. Sarah Pastorek recorded 14 points and six boards and Melanie Todd checked in with 13 points and eight rebounds.
Edinboro shot 46.4 percent (26-of-56) from the floor while limiting IUP to a 36.7 percent clip (22-60), and held the visitors without a single 3-pointer (0-9). Both teams were equally effective at the line with Boro connecting on 18-of-22 free throws and IUP making good on 18-of-21.
The Fighting Scots remain at home and welcome Slippery Rock to McComb Fieldhouse for a 1 p.m. Saturday tip off.
GAME NOTES: Five players had blocks for Edinboro (Blazetic, 8; Lindsay, 4; Freeland, 1; Jackson, 1; Hippo, 1) ... Edinboro scored its fifth straight win over IUP and now leads the all-time series, 43-36. The Crimson Hawks had won 11 straight over the Scots from 2006-10 … Blazetic stands just 10 blocks away from second place on the conference all-time blocks … the 73 points scored by Edinboro tied the most given up by IUP all season. The Crimson Hawks had allowed 70 points or more just twice all season and entered the game leading the PSAC in scoring defense, allowing just 54.1 points per game … Edinboro scored its second victory over a nationally-ranked opponent in a week's time following a win over No. 6 Gannon last Wednesday. In both wins, the Fighting Scots did not allow a 3-point basket.
