WEST CHESTER, Pa. – The Bloomsburg women's basketball team picked up its first win of the season, 80-72, over Elizabeth City State to wrap up play at the Carol Eckman Classic Sunday afternoon.

The Huskies rallied from down by as much as nine points in the first half due to several standout performances. Katie Starr (Berwick, Pa./Berwick) finished with a game-high 21 points, all of which came in the second half, with 19 in the fourth quarter alone to lead the charge. After struggling from behind the arc in the season-opener, Lauren Kirsch (Palmyra, Pa./Lower Dauphin) and Maddie LaFrance (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) combined for 34 points while shooting 10-of-19 (52.6 percent) from deep in the victory. LaFrance recorded career-highs in points, made field goals (6) and three-point makes (5).

Ella Kale (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove) was multi-faceted in the comeback effort for Bloomsburg, finishing with eight points and six rebounds to go with career-bests of 11 assists and four steals. The junior is the first Husky with double-digit assists since 2016. Leah Kale (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove) was a complimentary presence coming off the bench, scoring 11 points and shooting a perfect four-of-four from the field in the freshman's second collegiate game.

How It Happened: 
Both offenses came out hot to start the game, but the Vikings got the better of the early exchange. The Huskies recovered from their shooting woes the previous day with a great start from behind the arc.

Kirsch put Bloomsburg on the board with a three as she and LaFrance knocked down the first three deep looks of the afternoon to give the Huskies an early 9-6 edge. Ella Kale (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove) scored her first basket of the game before Kirsch followed with her third three-point for a Bloomsburg eight-point advantage.

Elizabeth City State rallied from the deficit with a 19-0 run, going 8-of-9 from the field and 3-of-3 from the three-point line to grab a nine-point lead. Kirsch knocked down her fourth three of the quarter for 12 points and made it a 25-17 game at the end of the first. 

The three-point shot continued to be a point of emphasis as LaFrance opened the scoring in the second quarter with her second three of the game. The two sides continued to trade baskets throughout the quarter as the Vikings entered the half with a 39-33 lead.

Starr scored her first points of the game into another Kirsch three-point attempt to cut the Huskies' deficit to one 45 seconds out of halftime. Elizabeth City defensively kept Bloomsburg in check, using a 5-0 run to hold its lead at 44-38. The two teams continued to trade baskets and trips to the free-throw line as the Vikings entered the final 10 minutes with a five-point advantage.

In the fourth quarter, Starr and the Bloomsburg offense took over, shooting 11-of-14 (78.6 percent) from the field while holding Elizabeth City to 38.9 percent to complete the comeback effort, outsourcing the Vikings, 30-17. LaFrance began the offensive onslaught for the Huskies as L. Kale and Starr each knocked down a shot to answer the Vikings' attempts to pull away. 

Kirsch knocked down a jumper to give the Huskies their first lead since the first quarter. Starr's dominance on the low block and ability to get to the charity stripe proved too much for Elizabeth City State, unable to slow down the junior forward. 

Bloomsburg cleaned up early miscues on the boards and forced the Vikings into timely turnovers to walk away with the victory.

On the Horizon:
The Huskies head to New York for a game against Daeman at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 15.