BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – The Bloomsburg women's basketball team rebounded from a pair of conference losses on the road with a 78-73 win over Seton Hill Saturday evening. 

Katie Starr (Berwick, Pa./Berwick) once again emerged as the difference maker for the Huskies (4-7, 2-3 PSAC East), matching a career-high of 31 points to go with 12 rebounds for the forward's seventh overall double-double of the season, fifth consecutive and third having scored 30-plus points. The junior chipped in two steals and a block in the winning effort.

Maddie LaFrance (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) and Leah Kale (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove) finished their nights in double figures to push Bloomsburg over the edge. LaFrance had 13 points while continuing to make her presence felt on the perimeter, shooting 2-of-5 from behind the arc. The younger Kale had double-digit points in four consecutive contests, including the last three conference clashes. Her elder sister, Ella Kale (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove), provided proved the glue for the team, dishing eight assists and grabbing six boards while providing spearheading the perimeter defense

How It Happened: 
The Griffins jumped on the board with the first two baskets for a 4-0 lead before L. Kale answered with an early three-point make to set the tone for the Huskies. Starr and E. Kale knocked down early buckets in an attempt to grab momentum that was amplified by a three pointer from LaFrance to take a 10-6 lead halfway through the first quarter. 

Starr would secure the final field goals of the period to a 14-8 lead after one. Bloomsburg built upon the momentum it had captured in the first 10 minutes to extend its lead bit by bit. With 6:39 left in the half, Starr and E. Kale connected to grow the Huskies' advantage to 12. After Seton Hill brought the game back within single digits, Starr and LaFrance combined for a 7-0 run to give Bloomsburg a 31-14 edge. Hailey Hudak (Schwenksville, Pa./Spring Ford) would give the Huskies the largest lead of the game at 15 with under two-and-a-half minutes to play in the first half. 

The Griffins closed the opening half with a 9-3 stretch to make it a 37-28 game at the break. Starr and LaFrance had a combined 23 points through the first 20 minutes of the contest as Seton Hill was led by 10 points from Sakeria Haralson.

Bloomsburg faced familiar woes in the third quarter, coming out of the gates a step behind and allowing the Griffins to claw their way back into the matchup. A 10-2 run stretching near the midpoint of the third quarter allowed Seton Hill to pull within two points at 39-37.

Looking to reaffirm the hold on the match, Starr again stepped up when it mattered most with six consecutive points for Bloomsburg before another L. Kale three made it a 50-43 ball game with under three to go in the third quarter. The Griffins mounted their own counter to Bloomsburg's surging attempts, forcing the first tie of the game since the 0-0 mark. A free throw from Hudak would nudge the Huskies to a 51-50 advantage with 10 minutes to play.

The ensuing moments brought heightened intensity to the forefront with both teams trading points and looking to take control of the game. Seton Hill again forced another tie, eventually claiming its first lead since the opening moments of the first quarter with 5:39 left to play. Another momentous stretch, seven points from the tandem of Starr and Ava Stevenson (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Trinity), provided Bloomsburg with a six-point game with under five minutes remaining. 

Another critical five points from Starr and a crucial steal on the defensive end helped keep the Griffins at bay when it mattered most. The Huskies as a whole rallied in the moment and remained calm under pressure, going six-for-six from the charity stripe in the last 30 seconds to secure the second conference victory of the season.

Bloomsburg finished Saturday evening 18-of-21 on free throws, marking the best figure on the season (85.7 percent) when having at least 15 attempts at the line.

On the Horizon:
The Huskies head back on the road for a midweek clash on Wednesday, January 3rd, at 1:00 p.m. for a PSAC game against Mercyhurst.