MILLERSVILLE, Pa. — Women's basketball's Senior Day was a success on all fronts for the Marauders, as they took care of business against the visiting Shepherd Rams before getting favorable outcomes in other simultaneous conference games to secure a home playoff game against West Chester on Monday. Millersville downed Shepherd 67–51 with a remarkably efficient second half and a balanced effort overall, as four players reached double figures.

After honoring graduating seniors Sophia Elstone, Juliana Vinluan, Brenna Ortwein and Makiah Shaw, the team muddled its way through a first half that finished with the score 32–29 in favor of the hosts. Millersville came out with a renewed effort on both ends in the second half, holding the Rams to 5-of-23 from the field while burying its own attempts at a 75% clip. That difference was even greater in the final 10 minutes and led to a 17–7 Marauder advantage that put the game away.

"We got back to our defensive laurels and did what we do best," Millersville head coach Kira Mowen said of the team's second-half effort postgame.  "Which is get stops and then attack in transition. They (Shepherd) put on a little bit of a press, but we were able to get through it. Then I had people step up and make shots, and that's what I've been missing all year."

Millersville then turned its attention to the Lock Haven and East Stroudsburg contest that was in its final minutes. To secure the fourth seed and a home playoff game on March 3, the Marauders needed Kutztown to defeat West Chester and Lock Haven to beat East Stroudsburg. The Golden Bears beat the Golden Rams 63–57, but the Bald Eagles were down eight to the Warriors with three minutes remaining. Mowen and her team watched as Lock Haven came back to take the lead and eventually secure the 61–57 victory to give Millersville its home contest.

"I stood outside the locker room for the longest time and talked with a reporter who had the game pulled up," Mowen said of her postgame viewing experience.  "My team was actually watching it in the locker room without me–I didn't know that, but I didn't want to walk into the locker room until I knew what was going to happen either way. Now, we're happy, but we know the work is not over. To finish my second year in a tie for third is a kudos to these young women, what they did, and how hard they've worked."

It was an emotional end to an emotional day all around for Mowen and the Marauders. Seniors Shaw and Ortwein spent four seasons in the 'Ville while graduate students Vinluan and Elstone are in their fourth season with Mowen after transferring from Knox College before last season. In addition to those four, graduate student Kali March was honored separately in her final season of eligibility. That quintet and the emotions of the day were on the mind of Mowen as she spoke postgame.

"Being able to graduate five players during a home game in March, two of which have been in this program for four years and stayed for the coaching change, two are mine that I brought with me from Knox and built that relationship, and then one coming from Cornell, who I played against at my previous institution, the magnitude of those feelings is a lot. I don't know that I processed too much this morning or even when I stood with them to take pictures. I'm really going to miss all of them dearly, and I can only say that they brought so many tremendous things to this program that I wish I could have back for another year."

She elaborated on that point later, saying, "there are so many emotions that went through my head; I've coached two of them for four years and two of them for two years, and then again one of them for just a single season. We went through a lot of heartfelt emotions together, whether it be on the practice floor or in my office having chats. To finally see them culminate their college career here with the ceremony while still knowing that we've got games to play and that we're in a brand-new season on Monday, it feels good."

Junior Morgan Mahoney led the team with 16 points in the game while March had 11 and Shaw had 10. Ortwein had one of her best all-around statistical performances as a Marauder, tallying 12 points on 5-of-7 from the field and two of two from beyond the arc. The senior wing also led the team in rebounds (seven), assists (six) and steals (five).

The graduating seniors and the rest of the Marauders will be back in action at Pucillo Gymnasium on Monday, March 3 at 5:30 p.m. to take on the West Chester Golden Rams in the first round of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Playoff Tournament.