FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Early Lead Slips Away in 70-55 Loss at Lake Erie
 
PAINESVILLE, Ohio – Mansfield led by eight points in the first half, but couldn't hold off Lake Erie in a 70-55 non-conference loss on the road Saturday afternoon.
 
Kayla Garbor recorded a double-double for the Storm with a game-high 19 points and 10 rebounds.
 
Lake Erie (4-1, 0-0 GLIAC) took an early lead scoring the first two buckets before the Mounties would tie the game at 5-5 just under the 17-minute mark. A Gabor trey gave the Storm an 8-5 lead, but Mansfield (1-4, 0-2 PSAC) went on a 9-2 run over a four-minute span to lead 17-10 with 12:32 remaining in the half.
 
Melanie Taylor's jumper at the 10:25 mark gave Mansfield its biggest lead of the half at 22-14.
 
Lake Erie would go on a run of its own, scoring seven unanswered points to pull within one point of the Mounties. The Storm tied the game at 24 all with 6:41 to play and went on a 14-6 run to close out the half with a 38-30 lead.
 
Alyssa DeRichie opened the second half with a 3-pointer to close within five points, but Lake Erie went on a 9-0 run to lead 47-33 with 16 minutes left to play. The Storm jumped out to its biggest lead of the game at 54-35 at the 13:35 mark, but a 7-0 run capped by a DeRichie trey brought the Mounties within 12.
 
A Maria Kelleher 3-pointer made it a 10-point game at 62-52 with 6:25, remaining but Mansfield would pull no closer.
 
Katie Fitzpatrick and Brielle Kelly's 11 points paced Mansfield while Becky Evans added 10 points. Fitzpatrick recorded a team-best six rebounds and four steals.
 
Kaeding Skelton had 14 points and eight rebounds for Lake Erie.
 
Turnovers proved to be costly for the Mounties as Lake Erie scored 31 points off 28 giveaways. Mansfield outrebounded the Storm 40-36 in the game.
 
Mansfield was held to just 39.6% (19-48) shooting from the field.
 
The Mountaineers travel to Millersville on Wednesday.