SCRANTON, Pa. – The University of Scranton women's basketball team (10-2) pulled away from a pesky Clarks Summit squad in the second and third quarters en route to a 69-56 win over the Lady Defenders (10-2) in non-conference action on Monday night at the John Long Center in Scranton.

The Lady Royals have won four straight overall dating back to Dec. 21.

This marked the first meeting between the programs since a Lady Royals victory on Dec. 9, 1978 and the sixth all-time meeting.

The two teams traded baskets for a majority of the first quarter and a layup from graduate student Abby Anderson (Scranton, Pa./Holy Cross) gave the Lady Royals a 17-13 lead in the final minute of the stanza before four late points from Clarks Summit tied things at 17 apiece after one. Senior Emily Shurina (East Meadow, N.Y./East Meadow) buried a three to start the second quarter which ignited a 16-0 run capped by a jumper by junior Sara Walsh (Havertown, Pa./Haverford) that made it 33-17 with 4:44 left in the half. The 16-0 run was where Scranton took control of the game and a three-pointer from Walsh in the final seconds of the half made it 38-26 heading into the locker room.

Clarks Summit was unable to get any closer than 10 the rest of the way.

Elizabeth Singleton scored the opening basket of the second half to cut the lead to 10 at 38-28, but the Lady Royals once again answered as sophomore Maddie Hartnett (Chatham, N.J./Chatham) scored five of the team's next nine points to extend the lead to 47-28 at the 4:53 mark. Shurina's layup in the final minute of the quarter made it 53-35 in favor of the hosts after three and a jumper from junior Hannah Angelini (Baldwin Place, N.Y./Somers) with 5:18 to play opened the biggest lead of the night at 63-38. The Lady Defenders were able to make a late run to slice the lead to 13.

Anderson paced the Lady Royals offensively with 16 points and was joined in double figures by Hartnett with 13 points and a career-high 11 from Walsh. Walsh's 11 points topped her previous career-high of 10 that had been set in a victory over Rosemont on Dec. 21, 2019.

Elsewhere for Scranton, Angelini added nine points and a career-high nine assists, while Shurina chipped in with seven points and a career-best 12 rebounds in 22 minutes of action off the bench.

The nine helpers for Angelini surpassed her previous best of seven in the afore-mentioned Rosemont game and Shurina's 12 boards eclipsed consecutive 10-rebound efforts in victories over Juniata on Feb. 26-27, 2021.

Singleton hit 7-of-11 from the free throw line and led Clarks Summit in the setback with 23 points.

Scranton shot 36.4% (24-of-66) from the field on the night and 28.1% (9-of-32) from three-point range, while Clarks Summit was 20-of-57 (35.1%) from the floor and 6-of-23 (26.1%) from beyond the arc.

The Lady Royals return to action on Wednesday night at Susquehanna with opening tip in Selinsgrove slated for 7 p.m.

--LADY ROYALS--