FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Women's Basketball team fell 69-63 against Bloomsburg to close out the Jim Crawley Conference Tournament on Saturday afternoon.

BU earned the first points of the game early from a layup by Alison Hatajik before the scoring held quiet until just over two minutes later, when the Bobcats got on the board with a layup by sophomore Julie Spinelli. Another two minutes passed before FSU found themselves ahead when redshirt freshman Sophie Nichols sank a layup. Scoring for both teams picked up in the second half of the period, as they went back and forth before Frostburg went on a 10-3 run, as redshirt sophomore Mandy Roman and Spinelli hit back-to-back layups while Nichols converted an and-one to make the score 14-7. With under two minutes remaining, the Huskies scored four straight points to get within three, but the Bobcats added a Nichols three and a layup by freshman Ella Sabatos to stay ahead by eight. Bloomsburg ended the period on a three, taking some momentum back with a 19-14 score.  

To start out the second quarter, BU came out with a three by Ava Stevenson, as Frostburg quickly responded through Spinelli making a pair of free throws. A jump shot and a three by the Huskies gave them their first lead since the opening basket, however it didn't hold long, as freshman Zaria Gaskins had an end-to-end fast break layup to put the Bobcats back on top 23-22. The two teams continued to trade buckets, with FSU having jump shots from sophomore Laekyn Flinn and senior Caitlyn Sullivan, as well as a layup from the latter, with BU there to answer every step of the way. Stevenson then made an and-one while Gaskins hit from behind the arc and made a floater in the lane, continuing the back-and-forth scoring to a 34-34 tie. With under three minutes until the break, Bloomsburg took their biggest lead of the night with a pair of freebies and a turnaround jumper, going up 38-34. Spinelli hit a driving lay-in with 1:41 to go, as that would be the final field goal from either side, taking things into the half at 38-36 Huskies. 

The Bobcats started quickly in period three, as Roman netted a bucket that evened the score once more, but BU followed with a layup and a three to go up by five. Nichols and Roman then went for baskets either side of a Huskies jumper before junior Jenna Muha made two free throws to get the FSU within one at 45-44. Over the final five and a half minutes, Bloomsburg ramped up their defensive pressure, holding FSU scoreless while scoring three layups and a pair of triples to take a commanding 57-44 lead headed to the fourth.

BU kept their momentum going heading into the final period, as they had a tip-in by Maddison Maynard, which Frostburg followed with a layup by Spinelli in the paint, breaking a seven-minute scoring drought. Frostburg continued to work their way back, as over the next five minutes Muha had a tip-in, followed by jump shots from Gaskins and Nichols, to lower the deficit to seven. The Huskies had a free throw and a layup, while Gaskins made two free throws and Spinelli drove the paint, getting the deficit down to 62-56 with 80 seconds to go. The remaining time became an all-out free throw battle, with Bloomsburg going one-of-two before Nichols made both of hers, bringing the Bobcats within five. After another pair of BU makes, Nichols was fouled on a three-point attempt, knocking each one down to get to 65-61. The Huskies wouldn't allow Frostburg a chance to get back in the game, converting all four of their remaining attempts while Nichols hit a couple of her own, as the scoreboard favored BU 69-63 when the clock hit zero. 

Nichols led FSU with 22 points, including an 8-for-8 mark at the charity stripe to go with four rebounds and a pair of assists and steals on the day. Spinelli (12) and Gaskins (11) each also reached double figures, while Muha had a team-high eight rebounds to go with Sabatos' six.

With the loss, the Bobcats move to 1-1 while the Huskies improve to 2-0. FSU is back at home on Wednesday, November 19, at 5:30 as they face Millersville in Bobcat Arena. For more information, please visit frostburgsports.com.