SELINSGROVE, Pa. -- Lydia Lawson didn't only set a new career-high in points and made free throws, but shattered them and helped the Elizabethtown College women's basketball team back from a nine-point deficit to force overtime and eventually beat the River Hawks in OT, 82-74. Lawson finished with 37 points and 19 made free throws.

Elizabethtown (9-5, 2-2 Landmark) had an 8-3 lead through three minutes of play and got it up to as many as seven with a little over half the quarter remaining after Mikayla Ruth knocked down a three. E-town led 13-6, but Susquehanna (5-9, 2-2 Landmark) made a run to end the quarter and went into the second with a lead of 23-19. After Lawson's layup with 1:51 left in the first, the River Hawks held E-town scoreless and scored the final seven points of the period.

The Blue Jays started the second quarter by scoring nine of the first 11 points. Lawson's layup returned the lead to EC. A possession after Susquehanna tied it up at 25-25, Veronica Christ hit a three-pointer after Roni Isenberg found the sophomore for the shot beyond the arc. The River Hawks then grabbed the lead back and held Elizabethtown scoreless for two-plus minutes. They ended the second quarter as they did the first, with a run while holding the Jays without a basket. SU took a 39-30 lead into halftime.

Lawson put her imprint on the game in the second half, starting in the third quarter. She got to the foul line three different times and hit all six free throw attempts. The junior put up ten third-quarter points. Isenberg, Marissa Emlet, and Angie Hawkins each had four and Elizabethtown was back in front. They led 52-49 going into the fourth quarter.

The River Hawks went on a 9-0 run to start the fourth quarter to take a 58-52 lead. Rachel Christman and Hawkins connected for the Jays' first bucket on a nice ball fake by Christman, who faked a jumper and got the defender off her feet. Hawkins rolled to the hoop and took a bounce pass from the freshman point guard and laid it in with her left hand. Emlet created the steal the next defensive possession and went the other way for two and it was only a two-point deficit, 58-56, with 5:59 left in the game.

The Blue Jays were down with under a minute to go when Lawson gave E-town the lead. Lawson drove to the basket and was fouled, but got her shot off and it went through to count. She hit the foul shot to put EC up by two, 67-65, with 46 seconds left.

Madi Welliver knocked down two foul shots for Susquehanna with 19 seconds after an offensive rebound kept the River Hawks alive. Neither side scored in those 19 seconds and overtime was needed.

The overtime session belonged fully to Lawson, who scored 13 of Elizabethtown's 15 points to give her 37 for the game. She scored on the first possession with a driving layup and then hit two free throws on the ensuing possession after Susquehanna turned it over. Lawson went on to put E-town ahead by six after a steal and assist by Christ led to a fast break layup. Lawson finished off the game with another set of made foul shots to lock up the win for Elizabethtown.

Lawson had the Blue Jays' first 30-point game since Rachel Forjan went for 30 at Merchant Marine on January 18, 2016. It is the most points in a game for the women's program since Nadine Yunginger Martin's 31 at Alvernia on February 11, 2012. Her 19 made free throws were the most since Yunginger Martin hit 13 in that Alvernia game and the most attempted (24) since Erin Walton's 18 against Widener on February 5, 2008. Lawson added six rebounds, six assists, and four steals.

Christ finished with 15 points and Emlet added 10 to give three in double figures for the Jays. Erin McQuillen had 20 points for Susquehanna.

The women's basketball team will take on Catholic at home on Wednesday, January 16, at 7 p.m.