SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The third seed Kutztown women's basketball team cut a double-digit, second quarter deficit to just three at halftime, but a third quarter spurt by the second seed Shippensburg, allowed the Raiders to pull away for a 72-55 victory Wednesday night in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference quarterfinal round game at Heiges Field House.
 
The Golden Bears finish their season 15-15 overall, one win shy of reaching their second straight final four and third in the last four seasons. The loss ends a four-game win streak.
 
KU started the game off slowly, shooting just 3-for-11 (27.3%) in the opening quarter and began the second quarter trailing 19-6. But the Maroon and Gold fought back in that frame on both ends of the floor. Offensively, they connected on 8-of-15 (53.3%) field goals, while holding the Raiders (24-5) to just 4-for-13 (30.8%), outscoring Ship 20-10, while cutting their deficit to 29-26 at halftime.
 
The third quarter was a different story, however. Shippensburg, which entered the game ranked third in the PSAC in scoring at 73.3 points per game, showed why and made 11 of its 15 shots and extended its advantage back into double digits, leading 57-42 after three. Kutztown never got closer than 13 the rest of the way.
 
Naia Pulliam (Wilmington, Del./St. Elizabeth) and Annie Whalen (Ivyland, Pa./Archbishop Wood) finished in double figures in scoring with 12 and 11 points, respectively. Pulliam also had eight rebounds. Shannon Remolde (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) and Zara Zerman (Jonestown, Pa./Northern Lebanon) each recorded seven points, while Casey Remolde (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) and Abbey Hearn (Lewes, Del./Cape Henlopen) tallied five. Bella Arcuri (Fallsington, Pa./Pennsbury) had four points and four assists. Sydney Pierson (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) contributed two points, eight rebounds and three blocks and Olivia Smelas (Jim Thorpe, Pa./Jim Thorpe) also had two points for KU. The Raiders were led by Ariel Jones, who finished with a game-high 23 points. Abbie Miller netted 20 points for Ship.
 
Kutztown has won at least one PSAC postseason game for the second season in-a-row and fourth time in the last five. The Golden Bears made their sixth straight appearance in the PSAC tournament and the ninth time out of the last 10 seasons.
 
Head coach Janet Malouf and her staff are poised to bring back the majority of their roster in 2023-24, as no Golden Bear that contributed this season exhausts eligibility.

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