SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. - The Bloomsburg women's basketball team defeated Shepherd 67-66 in fourth-quarter surge to clinch home-court advantage in the first round of the PSAC Tournament.

Four Huskies reached double figures in the contest, starting with Maddie LaFrance (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) who led the team with 20 points while shooting 50% from deep. Ava Stevenson (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Trinity) added 13 points, Kelly Leszcynski (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth) and Maddison Maynard (Lansford, Pa./Panther Valley) both had 12 and Alison Hatajik (Duncansville, Pa./Hollidaysburg) scored four to round out the starters.

From the bench, Lex Ferguson (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin), Leah Kale (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove) and Sophia Shults (Hazleton, Pa./Hazleton Area) all had two points. 

First Half:

Maynard started the game with a quick jumper in the Huskies' first possession. Shepherd fired back with two buckets of their own, but Maynard scored again on a fast break layup to tie it 4-4. Shepherd made the lead to 9-6 with halfway through the first, but that lead did not last long as LaFrance drained her first three of the game to tie it. Near the end of the quarter, both teams battled back and fourth, scoring on every possession within one minute. With a Stevenson three assisted by Leszcynski, the game was 22-20 in Shepherd's favor.

The battle between these two teams continued early in the second quarter. The Rams started the scoring with a layup which was combated by Hatajik with a jumper to bring the lead to two. Shepherd made a layup and a 3-pointer to bolster the lead to seven. Shults and Leszcynski kept battling, making it a one-score game halfway into the second. The Rams erupted by going on a 13-4 run to end the first half, making it an uphill battle for the Huskies going into halftime. 

Second Half:

LaFrance hit a layup on Bloomsburg's first possession of the half to make it a 44-34 lead. The Rams came back with a layup and a 3-pointer to put the lead up to 15. After another score from Shepherd, LaFrance drained two straight shots from beyond the arc to make it 51-40 in the Rams' favor. Late into the quarter, Leszcynski made the lead a two-score game, but the Rams hit a jumper in the paint to bring the lead back up to seven. Stevenson hit back with a jumper to keep the Huskies' in the game, the Rams poked a hole in Bloomsburg's comeback as they hit two straight jumpers to end the third. The Huskies were down nine going into the fourth.

Stevenson and Leszcynski both had points in the paint, bringing the lead down to five. The Rams did not budge, every time that Bloomsburg scored, Shepherd struck right back. With just under three minutes left in regulation, Shepherd found themselves up by six. That would not last long as Leszcynski put on clutch defensive performance by causing two turnovers that would set up a layup from Maynard and a three from LaFrance. Leszcynski's hard work paid off as she caused another turnover and drilled a fast break jumper to clinch home-court advantage in the first round of the PSAC Tournament. Leszcynski's jumper was the first time the Huskies led in this game since the first quarter, ending the game 67-66.

On the Horizon:

Bloomsburg will return to the Nelson Field House to face Shepherd again in the first round of the PSAC Tournament on March 2. Tip off will be at 6 p.m.