FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State University women's basketball team shook off a sluggish first half to challenge visiting Rowan until the final horn, pulling within a handful of points on several occasions. In the end, Rowan held off a feisty Bobcat squad for a 62-56 win in the opening game of the 10th Annual Jim Crawley Tournament, Friday night.

The loss places the Bobcats (0-1) in the consolation game on Saturday at 2:00 pm while the win pushed the Profs (1-0) into the championship at 4:00 pm.

Rowan's Kate Mathews led all players with 28 points and 11 rebounds. She was the only player in double figures for the visitors who shot 47.3 percent from the floor.

FSU had three players in double figures and shot just 32.3 percent from the field after making just 4-of-26 shots (15.4%) in the opening stanza. Senior guard Stephanie Straka poured in a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Sophomore guard Ronje' James scored 14 points while junior guard Elaina Hummel chipped in 12.

FSU struggled in the opening half but managed to keep the game close for nearly the first 15 minutes. The Bobcats, who never led in the contest, kept the deficit at two points at 8-6 (15:00) and again at 10-8 (12:35.)

Rowan built its lead to 17 at halftime behind a 19-6 run over the final 11:17 of the first half.

Frostburg came out determined in the second half and slowly chipped away at the deficit. FSU sophomore forward Bobbi McDonald hit a tough layup in traffic at 16:26 and connected on a jumper a little over 20 seconds later as the hosts cut the deficit to single digits at 33-25 with 16:05 to play.

Matthews hit her first basket of the second half to push Rowan's lead back to 10, 35-25, but the Bobcats used a quick 8-0 spurt to narrow the gap to two, 35-33. Hummel started the run with her only three-pointer of the game and James capped the outburst with a layup at 12:40.

The Profs rebounded with their own 8-0 run to push their lead back to 10 points, 43-33, but FSU again charged back and cut their deficit to four, 45-41.

The visitors tried once again to run away with the game and increased their lead to 15, 56-41, behind an 11-0 run.

FSU had one final charge and trimmed the score to just 57-52 with 2:09 remaining. James stole the ball on the defensive end and hit a jumper at the other as the Bobcats trailed by just five.

Rowan's Jade Bonder sealed the win as she converted a traditional three-point play at 1:08 for a 60-52 lead. Thirty seconds later, Matthews made her final basket of the contest as the visitors led by 10, 62-52.