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BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - The Bloomsburg University women's basketball team got off to a fast start and was able to hold off visiting Millersville University, 52-43, on Saturday afternoon at the Nelson Field House. The Huskies picked up their second consecutive victory and improved to 3-12 overall and 2-9 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division. The Marauders fell to 6-10 overall and 4-7 in conference play.

Senior Morgan Klunk (Felton, Pa./York Catholic) finished with a game-high 14 points and was the only Bloomsburg player in double figures. Senior Alex Ross (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) narrowly missed her second double-double of the season as she had nine points, nine rebounds, and four assists.

With the score tied a 4-4 with 7:30 left in the opening quarter, the Huskies caught fire and went on a 10-1 run to take a 14-5 advantage with 3:15 left in the opening ten minutes. Sophomore Alyssa Mack (Walnutport, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic) started the run with a layup and then back-to-back baskets from sophomore Casey Warley (West Chester, Pa./Bayard Rustin) extended the lead to 10-5. Freshman Taylor Montana (Berwick, Pa./Berwick) then knocked down back-to-back shots for the final points during the run.

The Huskies finished out the quarter with a 19-10 advantage after sophomore Marissa Molnar (Erie, Pa./McDowell) nailed a triple from the left wing just before the buzzer.

Bloomsburg continued to pour it on in the second quarter as it scored eight of the first ten points to take a 27-12 advantage with 6:15 remaining in the opening half. Klunk, Ross, and Mack provided the offense during the spurt. The teams would exchange baskets the rest of the period and the Huskies enjoyed a 35-21 halftime advantage.

The Huskies, who entered the game averaging just over 53 points per game on offense, seemed as if they were well on their way to eclipse that mark. Then, the third quarter happened.

Bloomsburg scored only three points in the third quarter - a three-pointer from sophomore Taylor Sneidman (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) with 2:33 left in the period - and turned the ball over 11 times during the ten-minute frame. Bloomsburg had turned the ball over only eight times in the first half. But, despite the Huskies' struggles, Millersville could not capitalize as the visitors could muster only eight points during the quarter. In fact, neither team was able to score until the Marauders' Courtney Hinnant hit a layup with 5:03 left in the period.

Leading 38-29 after three quarters, Bloomsburg started the fourth quarter by scoring seven of the first eleven points to take a 45-33 lead with 6:56 left in regulation. The Marauders, however, were not done as they went on an 8-0 run over the next three minutes to cut the Huskies' lead to 45-41 with 3:59 remaining.

Ross stopped the bleeding with a layup to get the lead back to six, 47-41, with 3:10 left. Millersville's Jade Farquhar cut the lead back to four, 47-43, with a pair of free throws with 2:10 remaining. Those, however, would be Millersville's final points of the contest. Klunk converted a layup, then hit a pair of free throws, before Mack went 1-of-2 at the foul line in the closing seconds for the final margin.

Millersville had to play the final 90 seconds of the third quarter and all of the fourth quarter without its top scorer, Celeste Robinson, who fouled out. She was the only Marauder to finish in double figures as she scored 13 points in 28 minutes. Then, midway through the fourth quarter, Millersville's third-leading scorer and top rebounder, Aunjel Van Brakle, also fouled out.

Mack finished with eight points and a career-high eight rebounds. Sneidman added seven points while Molnar had six points and a career-high five steals.

Bloomsburg held a 45-34 rebounding edge over Millersville and limited the Marauders to just 25.9% (15-of-58) shooting from the floor.

The Huskies will travel to Kutztown on Wednesday, January 18, in search of their third consecutive victory. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.