CLARION TO FACE MILLERSVILLE IN PSAC SEMIFINALS

            The Clarion University women’s basketball team will face Millersville at 8 p.m. Friday in the PSAC semifinals at Millersville.

            It is Clarion’s first trip to the semifinals since 1995, while Millersville is making its fourth straight appearance in the semifinals.

            “It just feels right to be back in the semifinals,” Clarion’s 16^th year head coach Gie Parsons said. “We have been working really hard all year to get to this point, and to finally see it come to fruition feels good.”

            Clarion (23-5), the second seed from the PSAC-West, reached the semifinals with a 69-49 win at home over Shippensburg Tuesday with Heather Cigich scoring 24 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Shay Godwin (10 points, 7 rebounds), Amelia Harris (10 points, 5 assists), Ashley Grimm (9 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals) and Melba Melton (9 points) also played key roles in the win.

            Millersville (19-8), the PSAC-East champions, advanced to the semifinals with a 69-56 win over Kutztown Tuesday behind 24 points from Danielle Marshall. Kristy Garner added 17 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and five steals, while Destinne Parker-Stewart had 13 points and six rebounds.

            The winner of the game will play the winner of the other semifinal contest between West Chester and California, the three-time defending PSAC champion and the defending National Champion, at 7 p.m. Saturday also at Millersville.

            Clarion enters the game having won three straight and 15 of its past 17 games. The 23 wins are the most for the Golden Eagles since they won 26 in 1994 and are the fifth most in school history.

            “We are playing well,” Parsons said. “Right now are chemistry is good and our intensity is good.”

            Millersville is even hotter than Clarion entering the game having won 13 straight while capturing its sixth PSAC-East title and qualifying for the PSAC Playoffs for the ninth straight season.

            “They are a powerhouse,” Parsons said. “You don’t win a conference championship with just one loss if you aren’t very good. We had two conference losses, and they are playing at home. That makes a huge difference. We will be the underdogs in this game.”

            Clarion beat Millersville 56-53 Dec. 21 at Millersville, but Parsons doesn’t believe that game will have much of an impact on Friday night’s contest.

            “That was our eighth game of the year,” Parsons said. “They are a different team now, and we are a different team now. It does show us that we could win at their place, but that also gives them extra motivation to beat us.”

            Parsons believes the biggest key for Clarion is handling Millersville’s pressure defense. The Marauders have forced 619 turnovers this season (22.9 per game) while coming away with 335 steals (12.4 per game).

            “They will press you,” Parsons said. “They key to the game will be our ability to handle their pressure defense.”

            Clarion is led by Cigich, a senior forward, who leads the PSAC in scoring (17.7 ppg) and is tied for third in rebounding (10.1 rpg). An all-around player, Cigich is also eighth in the PSAC in steals (2.31) while averaging 3.08 apg and blocking 19 shots.

            Cigich is tied for sixth in PSAC history in rebounding (1,113) while ranking second in Clarion history in that category. She also ranks third in school history in scoring (1,814 points), 8^th in assists (242), 5^th in steals (247) and 3^rd in blocks (82).

            Godwin, a senior center, is adding 14.2 ppg, 9.7 rpg and 39 blocked shots this season and has 788 points, 551 rebounds and 57 blocks in her two seasons at Clarion while ranking 4^th in school history in blocked shots. 

            Melton is adding 12.1 ppg, 4.71 apg and 2.2 spg and her 132 assists are the third most in a single season at Clarion.

            Harris chips in with 10.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg and 3.14 apg, while Tiffany Peacock is scoring 7.0 ppg.

            Two freshmen – forward Jessica Albanese and point guard Grimm – are also having solid seasons.

            Albanese is averaging 6.9 ppg and 4.5 rpg, while Grimm is scoring 5.8 ppg, hauling down 3.5 rpg, dishing out 4.11 apg and coming up with 2.11 spg. She ranks ninth in the PSAC in assists and 14^th in steals and her 115 assists this season are the 8^th most in a season at Clarion.

            Millersville has three players scoring in double figures including Marshall (13.6 ppg, 1.85 spg), Parker-Stewart (11.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg) and Gardner (11.1 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 2.42 apg, 2.42 spg).

            Branden Lippy is adding 9.5 ppg, while Jayeneca Bailey chips in with 6.3 ppg and 4.41 apg. NaTasha Howard is also scoring 5.3 ppg while hauling down 4.8 rpg.

            NOTES – Clarion is now 9-7 all-time in the PSAC Playoffs including 2-3 in the quarterfinal round … The Golden Eagles are 4-3 in their history in PSAC Semifinal games and 3-1 in PSAC Title games … Clarion is looking for its first PSAC Title since 1994 and its first PSAC Title game appearance since 1995 … Cigich’s 24 points vs. Shippensburg Tuesday are tied for the fourth most in a PSAC playoff game in school history … Millersville is 18-16 all-time in the PSAC Tournament and 2-3 in PSAC Title Games … The Marauders are looking for their first PSAC Title game appearance since 2002 and their first PSAC Title since 1987 … Clarion and Millersville are 2-2 against each other in PSAC Playoff history with all four games coming in the semifinals … Millersville beat Clarion 77-67 in 1987 and 67-65 in overtime in 1988, and Clarion won 94-65 in 1993 and 68-48 in 1995.  

Heather Cigich

Shay Godwin

Amelia Harris

Melba Melton

Ashley Grimm