WILLIAMSPORT, PA – Erin Shober (Reading, PA/Wilson) scored a career high 18 points as the Wilkes University women's basketball team defeated Lycoming College 54-51 in Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) action at Lamade Gymnasium Thursday night.

Wilkes is now 4-5 in the conference and 5-13 overall, winning for the second time on the road this season. The victory to start the second half of the league slate for the Colonels gave them the season sweep over the Warriors. Lycoming dropped to 1-9 in MAC Freedom play and 5-14 overall.

The Colonels started the first quarter strong, taking an 8-2 lead in the first three and a half minutes of action as Shober scored four of the points and Brenna Babcock (Sweet Valley, PA/Northwest Area) and Julia Marino (Washington Township, NJ/Washington Township) added two points each. After the Warriors closed the lead to one point Babcock scored again with 2:06 left in the first quarter to make the score 10-7. Shober made another basket and Brianna Horton (Verona, NJ/Verona) hit a jumper to close the first quarter scoring with Wilkes ahead 14-7.

Lycoming started the second quarter on a 7-2 run but Julianna Askins (Carlisle, PA/Carlisle) responded with a three pointer to keep the Colonels ahead. The Warriors closed the lead to three points at 21-18 but a free throw by Babcock followed by her own layup and a Marino layup pushed the Colonels ahead by eight at 26-18 with 3:52 left until halftime. Lycoming closed the second quarter on an 8-2 run as Wilkes led 28-26 at the break.

Emily Lockard tied the game with a jumper to start the third quarter but Shober answered with a layup. Lycoming again tied the game but Shober had another answer down in the paint for Wilkes and Kendra Smith (Hughesville, PA/Hughesville) followed with a layup. Horton made two free throws and Shober another layup as Wilkes went on an 8-0 run to take a 38-30 lead. The Warriors cut the lead to four twice before Smith made a long range shot to make the score 44-37. Horton's two free throws with five seconds left in the third gave the Colonels their largest lead of the game at 46-37 and nine points heading to the fourth.

Following a Lycoming layup to start the scoring in the fourth, Smith answered with a three to give Wilkes its first double-digit lead of the night at 49-39. The two teams went scoreless the next 3:30 of action before Lycoming made it 49-42 with a three-pointer. Two free throws and then a three by Mya Wetzel cut the lead to two points at 49-47 before Shober hit a jumper to stop the Colonels scoreless drought at nearly five minutes, a shot that tied her with her career high of 16 points.

Shober scored again to put Wilkes up 53-47 with 2:07 left in the game. After two separate occasions where Lycoming made 1-of-2 free throws, Meghan Dufner cut the lead back to two points with just 34 seconds left with a layup. Horton then was fouled and made 1-of-2 shots to make the score 54-51 with 31 ticks left. Following a missed shot by the Warriors Smith tracked down the rebound for Wilkes but after a timeout and a Lycoming foul the Colonels were unsuccessful on two free throws. Kami Abdo missed two three-point attempts in the final four seconds including one at the horn as Wilkes held on for the victory.

Shober finished with a career high 18 points on 9-for-13 shooting from the floor. She also tied for the team lead with five rebounds with Smith. Horton added nine points and Smith eight. Horton led Wilkes with four assists and Marino tied her career high with six steals.

Ashley Yoh and Lockard each scored 13 points to lead Lycoming and Yoh had a game high nine rebounds.

Wilkes shot 40.8% from the field (20-for-49), 23.1% from three (3-for-13), and 50.0% from the free throw line (11-for-22). Lycoming shot 36.6% from the field (15-for-41), 26.7% from three (4-for-15), and 70.8% from the line (17-for-24). Wilkes led in points in the paint, points off turnovers, second chance points, fast break points, and bench points. Lycoming led in rebounding 34-26 but the Warriors turned it over 27 times compared to the Colonels 21.

The Colonels turnaround quick for a MAC Freedom game at the Marts Center on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. against Stevens Institute of Technology. The Ducks are receiving votes in the latest D3hoops.com national poll and are ranked No. 18 in the WBCA poll.