SHIPPENSBURG, PA – The Mansfield University women's basketball team fought in the first quarter to keep the score within two points, but Shippensburg came out shooting on all cylinders for the final three quarters to defeat the Mountaineers 89-62 in PSAC East action on Monday night, Jan. 6.

The Mounties (3-10, 1-6 PSAC) trailed out of the gate, but remained resilient and just as it looked like the Raiders were going to take an 8-point lead into the second period, junior Paige Whitfield drilled back-to-back 3-pointers to keep Mansfield within two heading into the second period.

The Raiders (8-5, 5-2 PSAC) extended their lead to eight midway through the second period, but consecutive jumpers by freshmen Jasmine Perez and Alivia Paeglow cut the Mountie deficit to four with 4:23 to go in the half. However, Shippensburg started to find its form and began to separate themselves with a 12-2 run in the final four minutes before the break.

The Raiders continued to extend their lead to as much as 27 points in the second half, shooting 61.1 percent from the field, while containing the young Mansfield squad to just 36.1 percent.

Whitfield and Perez each recorded 13 points on the night while adding four rebounds each. Paeglow recorded one of her best nights in a Mountie uniform, dropping eight points while hauling down four rebounds with the second unit.

The 8th-ranked NCAA Division II scorer, Ariel Jones, secured 31 of Shippensburg's 89 points in the ball game, notching a double-double with 11 rebounds for the Raiders.

The Mounties return to action this Wednesday, Jan. 8 when they make the short trip down the road for a PSAC East matchup against the Bald Eagles of Lock Haven University. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.