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EDINBORO, Pa. - The No. 3 Gannon women's basketball team fell to No. 25 Edinboro, 86-76, in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championship at the McComb Fieldhouse on Sunday afternoon. In a battle between the Western Division's top-two seeds, the second-seed Lady Knights and top-seed Fighting Scots shot an identical 55.2 percent from the field, as each converted 32 of their 58 total shots. The Lady Knights drop to 27-3 overall, while the Fighting Scots improved to 24-5 overall.

Senior Jen Papich (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel) recorded her second post-season double-double of her career off 23 points and 11 rebounds. Papich played each second of the contest, shooting 10-for-16 from the field. Junior Mollie Sebald (Broadview Heights, Ohio/Holy Name) tallied 16 points followed by senior Kelley Sundberg (Mansfield, Conn./E.O. Smith) with 11 points. Sundberg registered a team-high six assists.

Scoring a career game-high 33 points, tournament MVP Valerie Majewski led the Fighting Scots to their fourth PSAC team title in program history. Majewski joined three Fighting Scots in tallying double-digits. Laurel Lindsay and Aignee' Freeland each recorded 16 points followed by Lauren Hippo with 11. Darche' Jackson was the lone Fighting Scot starter to not reach double figures. The Fighting Scots' reserves only provided two points in the game.

To open the game, the Lady Knights buried 64.3 percent (18-28) of their shots from the field. The difference came in the Fighting Scots' performance from behind the arc, as they hit 62.5 percent (10-16) for the game. 

The opening 3:23 featured four tied scores, as the two squads settled in at 8-8. Majewski broke the tie with her first three of the afternoon to give the Fighting Scots an 11-8 lead heading into the first media timeout. The Fighting Scots doubled up on the Lady Knights, 16-8, as Majewski hit another three. A Papich jumper and a triple by sophomore Morgan Neighbors (Westerville, Ohio/Westerville South) pulled the Lady Knights within three of the Fighting Scots, 16-13, with 13:17 left.

The Fighting Scots moved their lead back to eight, 24-16, with a three by Lindsay at 9:24 of the opening half. The Fighting Scots held a consistent lead between eight and six points for the next 3:37 until the Lady Knights went on a 9-2 run to take a 35-34 lead off a Papich layup with 4:31 remaining in the half. Off a 7-4 run to close the opening half, the Fighting Scots took a 43-41 lead into the break.

Sundberg gave the Lady Knights a 44-43 lead in the opening 19 seconds of the second half off an and-one play.  The teams fought point-for-point until the game was knotted at 48, as Papich hit a jumper to tie the contest. Despite the Fighting Scots creating space with a three-point lead, a Papich layup moved the Lady Knights within one, 53-52, with 11:58 remaining.

Hippo re-established the Fighting Scots' lead with a three before another Papich layup with 10:22 left on the clock. The Fighting Scots opened the game up for a 67-57 lead off an 11-3 run, as Sebald tallied the Lady Knights' lone basket. Gannon returned with an 11-5 run to pull within four of the Fighting Scots, 72-68, with 4:02 remaining.

Majewski provided the Fighting Scots with a three to help preserve their lead, 78-71, with 1:16 left. Despite pulling within four, 80-76, the Lady Knights were not able complete the rally as the Fighting Scots pulled away hitting eight points at the free-throw line to seal the win.  

The Lady Knights held a 32-27 advantage on the glass, as Papich was the only player on either squad to reach double figures in the category. The Fighting Scots only recorded five turnovers in the game, including only two in the second half. For the Lady Knights, they finished the day with 12 turnovers, which the Fighting Scots managed to turn into 14 points.

Holding the top spot in the final Atlantic Regional rankings, Gannon will wait for the NCAA Selection Show Sunday, March 9, at 10 p.m. The Lady Knights will make their fifth NCAA Tournament appearance in the last six seasons. A live stream of the NCAA Selection can be viewed at http://bit.ly/1ijd1Rj.

GAME NOTES: The Lady Knights recorded their best-shooting percentage in a conference post-season game since a 77-50 quarterfinal victory over California (Pa.) on March 5, 2013…  For the third time in program history, the Lady Knights played for the conference crown… The Fighting Scots lead the all-time series at 30-19… In 11 PSAC games, the Lady Knights move to 7-4.