EDINBORO, Pa. – The Edinboro women's basketball team survived a slow start to hand visiting Fairmont State a 72-68 defeat on Monday afternoon at McComb Fieldhouse. The Fighting Scots improved to 9-2 while winning their ninth game in a row, the longest winning streak since the 2013-14 season. Fairmont State saw their record even at 5-5.

The Lady Falcons jumped out to a 13-0 lead, holding the Fighting Scots without a point for the 6 minutes. 28 seconds. Edinboro would finally score on JaVannah Jackson's jumper. Prior to that, the Fighting Scots missed their first 13 shots while turning the ball over five times.

Edinboro would end the first quarter on a 13-2 run to trail by just 15-13. The Fighting Scots would go up 35-32 at the half thanks to Michelle Jahn's 3-pointer with 30 seconds remaining in the half.

The Fighting Scots would build the lead to eight five occasions in the third quarter, and led 56-49 after three periods. Edinboro would take their largest lead of the afternoon early in the fourth quarter at 60-50 on Katie Fischer's jumper.

But a veteran Fairmont State team featuring five seniors and picked to finish first in the Mountain East Conference refused to fold. The Lady Falcons went on a 12-0 run over the next five-plus minutes, and grabbed their first lead since the first quarter at 62-60 on a pair of free throws by Amanda Ruffner with 3:49 to play.

Jontay Walton took over from there for the Fighting Scots. Her driving layup knotted the score at 62-62. With the score still tied at 66-66 with less than a minute to play, Walton came up with a pair of big defensive plays.
 

The redshirt sophomore guard came up with a steal and gave Edinboro the lead for good at 68-66 with a pair of free throws with 29 seconds to play. She then harassed the Fairmont State ballhandler into another turnover, with Nicole Johnson recording the steal. Walton ended up back at the line with 17 seconds to go, and calmly sank two more free throws for a 70-66 lead.

Fairmont State's Kelly Jo Harrison rebounded a missed 3-pointer and laid it in to make it 70-68 with six seconds left. The Lady Falcons fouled immediately, with freshman Michaela Barnes stepping to the line with three seconds remaining and making two more for the final margin.

Fischer led three Fighting Scots in double figures with 18 points, making 4-of-10 3-pointers. The senior guard added six rebounds, along with four assists and three steals. Walton came off the bench and matched her season high with 14 points, going 8-for-8 at the line. She added three assists and three steals. Ciara Rosten had 13 points and seven rebounds before fouling out.

Edinboro's bench once again made a huge contribution, outscoring the Lady Falcons, 28-7. Jackson had seven points, and Maggie Moore ended with a game-high eight rebounds.

Edinboro won despite shooting just 32.0 percent from the floor (24-of-75), while Fairmont State came in at 52.4 percent (22-of-42).  The Lady Falcons went to the line 32 times, making 21, while Edinboro was 17-of-21 at the charity stripe.  Edinboro made 7-of-21 3-pointers compared to a 3-for-12 showing for Fairmont State. In addition, Edinboro won the rebound battle, 46-35, and forced 21 turnovers while committing just 13. That led to a 22-6 advantage in points off turnovers.

Ruffner led three Lady Falcons in double digits with 19 points, while Deidra Combs added 18 points. Emily Puskarich had 12 points.

Edinboro does not return to the hardcourt until December 30 when the Fighting Scots have a showdown against California(Pa.). The Lady Vulcans are ranked number two in Division II. That contest will get underway at 5:30 p.m. at McComb Fieldhouse.