CLARION – Freshman Ellie Thompson recorded a career-high 19 points to lead all players in scoring as the Mansfield Mountaineers women's basketball team was on the road this weekend versus Clarion University. The Golden Eagles came away with an 80-58 win on Saturday afternoon in an interdivisional PSAC matchup at Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium.
 
Thompson shot 80% (4-of-5) from the field, 11-of-13 from the free-throw line, and also added six rebounds. Paige Whitfield brought down four rebounds and scored 10 points, which marks the fourth consecutive game that the sophomore has scored double-digits. Noelle Cameron and Mia Leonard both scored six points and led the team on the boards, combining for 23 rebounds. With 13 boards on the day, Leonard tied her career-high. The 6'3" forward also contributed three assists, which is now her career-high.
 
The Golden Eagles had four players score in double figures, including Jordan Bekelja who led all players with 21 points. Kadija Dickson scored 14 points to go with 11 rebounds for a double-double. Teammate Yasmin Lewis just missed another double-double for Clarion, scoring 13 points, and coming up one rebound shy. Yndiah Bobo dished out a game-high seven assists and came up with six steals. Clarion outshot the Mounties, who had a tough day on the offensive side of things. The Golden Eagles connected on 50% of their shots from the field, and converted on an astonishing 53.3% from beyond the arc (8-of-15), which helped fuel their win.
 
For Mansfield, Kira Merritt scored five points within a two-minute stretch in the first quarter, but the Golden Eagles were able to lock-down the sophomore for the remainder of the game. Clarion was also able to contain Erin Gibbons, who entered Saturday ranked 15^th in scoring. Gibbons scored nine points on a tough day from the field, however the Forty Fort native came up with four steals, a block, and a rebound on the defensive side for Mansfield.
 
Other contributions from the Mansfield roster include two assists from McKenzie Hatch, who now ranks 4^th in the PSAC with 4.2 rebounds per game. Fellow senior Brooke Roys scored her first career points while also tallying her first career rebound. The six-foot forward from Port Allegany is a dual-sport athlete, playing her first season of basketball and about to enter her fourth season on the Mansfield University softball team this spring. Freshman Autumn Hultberg saw her first action of the season after suffering an injury entering the season. She scored a point and recorded a steal in her first appearance, a two-minute outing.

The Mountaineers have over a week off from competition before they hit the road again to face Edinboro next Tuesday, December 18th at 1 p.m.