Penguins play well, but Milwaukee gets win

Monique Godfrey scored21 points to lead four YSUplayers in double figures.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Wins haven't come easy for the Youngstown State women's basketball team this season, even when the Penguins have played well.
Saturday, the Penguins had one of their best efforts of the season only to have Wisconsin-Milwaukee pull out a 76-70 Horizon League victory at Beeghly Center.
The Penguins (7-17, 5-8 HL) shot well from the field and turned the ball over just 12 times, but couldn't hang on against the Panthers (12-13, 8-4).
"I have no qualms about the way my kids played today, but it just seems that we get everybody's best effort," said YSU coach Tisha Hill.
"We scored 70 points and didn't turn the ball over much," Hill said. "We did have a couple lulls on defense that hurt, but overall we played very well."
Balanced attack
The Penguins put four players in double figures, led by sophomore Monique Godfrey with 21 points, while junior Jessica Schloemp had 12 and sophomores Ashley Pendleton and Velissa Vaughn each had 10.
UW-Milwaukee sophomore Traci Edwards finished with 22 points after the Penguins held her to nine points in the first half. She also had 11 rebounds.
"We did a good job on her in the first half, but great players have a way coming back like she did," Hill said of Edwards.
The Penguins last led 45-44 with 12 minutes remaining, but were never out of the game.
They trailed by as many as seven points (66-59) with 1:51 remaining, but battled back on a 3-point shot by Godfrey and then a basket by Vaughn with 55 seconds left, which cut the lead to 69-65.
After a Milwaukee score, Vaughn hit a 3-pointer with 21.5 seconds left to get within three points, but Edwards hit a free throw and then Jody Crumble and Edwards added two more apiece.
YSU shot 55.6 percent in the second half and finished at 42.2 percent (27-of-64) for the game. The Panthers shot 52.2 percent (24-of-46).
Neither team shot well from the charity stripe as Milwaukee was 22-of-34, including 6-of-12 in the final minute. YSU was 9-of-17, but outrebounded Milwaukee 37-34.
Back and forth
The contest was tied six times and the lead changed hands 11 times, but nine of those took place in the second half.
The Penguins were trailing 6-4 early when they went on a 10-2 run that included a pair of 3-point shots by Godfrey to take a 14-8 advantage with 13 minutes remaining.
Milwaukee stayed close and tied the contest 25-25 with 3:30 left in the half.
Schloemp scored off a rebound with 2:25 remaining to regain the lead and the Penguins led 27-26 at the intermission.
The score was deadlocked four more times during the first 10 minutes of the second half before the Panthers took the lead for good (49-46) on a 3-point shot by Meredith Onson with 10:31 remaining.
Edwards took control for the Panthers, scoring nine of their next 12 points, as they built the seven-point lead the Penguins were unable to overcome.
YSU visits Cleveland State next Saturday at 3 p.m.