Box Score PDF

• Junior Emma Bockrath moved past Erin Reynolds for ninth in HPU's Division I scoring list with 17 points in the game.
• Sophomore Olivia VanSlooten tallied a career-high 11 points to go with three rebounds and two assists.
• Junior Lindsey Edwards pulled down a career-high 13 rebounds while scoring seven points on the afternoon.
 
CLINTON, S.C. – The High Point University women's basketball team started fast building an early advantage and leading for most of the first half, but couldn't hold on falling 62-55 at Presbyterian on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Panthers (15-10, 9-5) led 12-4 out of the gate and didn't trail until PC's Cortney Storey hit a three-pointer in the closing seconds of the first half to give the Blue Hose (9-16, 6-8) a one-point edge.
 
From there, the lead went back and forth for the first 14 minutes of the second half as junior Emma Bockrath's steal and basket at the 6:57 mark of the fourth gave HPU a 55-53 lead. However, PC held High Point off the board to rest of the way to pull out the win.
 
"We just need to play harder," head coach DeUnna Hendrix said. "It's February and everyone is tired and beat up so these last few weeks are a true grind. We have to want to embrace that grind in order to pull out wins."
 
Bockrath moved past Erin Reynolds ('13) for ninth in HPU's Division I scoring rankings with 17 points. The guard also added eight rebounds, three assists and two steals on the afternoon.
 
Racking up career-highs, sophomore Olivia VanSlooten scored 11 while junior Lindsey Edwards controlled the glass grabbing 13 boards. Overall, the Panthers posted a 44-33 rebounding margin and scored 13 second-chance points.
 
Meanwhile, after scoring just eight in the previous meeting between the two teams, Storey finished with 26 for the Blue Hose.
 
Junior Shea Morgan gave HPU three in double figures adding 13 points with eight coming after the break. She also chipped in with seven rebounds and three assists.
 
In a matchup of two of the best three-point shooting teams in the Big South, HPU hit 2-of-16 from downtown while PC made just five of its 20 attempts. However, the Blue Hose managed to shoot 24-of-50 (48 percent) overall while limiting the Purple & White to a 34-percent clip (23-of-68).
 
High Point started fast jumping out to a 12-4 lead after VanSlooten tallied back-to-back buckets with 2:18 left in the first. Led by Bockrath's 10 first-half points, the Panthers maintained that lead until PC hit a three in the closing seconds of the half, which gave the home team a 28-27 halftime margin.
 
After the break, Morgan tied the score at 32-32 at the 8:16 mark of the third and just over a minute later a pair of free throws by Bockrath gave HPU a 36-35 lead. However, the Blue Hose scored on their next possession to regain the lead on the next possession.
 
From there, the Panthers stayed close before a steal and a bucket by Bockrath gave HPU a 55-53 advantage with 6:57 to play. However, Presbyterian held HPU scoreless the rest of the contest while going on a 9-0 run to close out the 62-55 victory.
 
The Purple & White return home to entertain Charleston Southern in the Millis Center on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.
 
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