CLARION — Just two years ago, Bethany Koch was an injured afterthought on the Clarion University women's basketball team.

In the first 41 games of her college career, the Union High graduate scored 94 points.

But a broken fibula 15 games into her sophomore season might have been the best thing that ever happened to a player who starred for her high school team but found the college game baffling.

Koch spent the time recovering from her broken leg in the weight room on a new workout plan whipped up by the Clarion coaching staff.

"I was the only one on it at the time," Koch said. "I was the experiment."

The mad scientists at Clarion had it right.

Koch emerged from her injury stronger and quicker. A forward trapped in a guard's body, she unleashed herself on an unsuspecting Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference last season as a junior, scoring 12.7 points per game.

The most eye-popping statistic, though, was her 7.9 rebounds per contest from her guard position.

Now a senior and a team leader, she has been even better.

Koch leads the squad with 17.1 points and 8.2 rebounds per game as Clarion is 9-5 after losing to Indiana (Pa.) 72-65 in the PSAC West opener Wednesday night.

"It's nice to have the team success go along with the individual success," Koch said. "None of my success would come without the great players around me."

Koch is sixth in the conference in scoring average and seventh in rebounding.

She was a preseason PSAC first-team selection and is showing why on a nightly basis, even though teams are playing her differently.

The word is out on Koch.

"I've noticed teams playing me differently, but that's OK," Koch said. "We have other people on this team who can beat you. Lizzie (Suwala) is having a great year. Courtney (Healy) and Sara (Pratt) are playing well. Everyone is contributing."

The biggest difference for the Golden Eagles has been defense.

Clarion set a school record by holding Mansfield to 24 points. It was the lowest output by a Golden Eagles opponent in the shot-clock era.

Clarion followed that up the next day with a 71-52 win over Bloomsburg — the first time the school has held back-to-back opponents to under 55 points.

It reminds Koch of her days at Union, where the defense often fed into offensive eruptions.

"It's kind of similar," Koch said. "We really stressed defense this season because we knew there were going to be nights when we wouldn't score as much."

Koch hasn't had any problems scoring this season. She has led the team in scoring seven times this season, is coming off a career-high 25 points against Mansfield and has five double-doubles.

"I just want to keep building on this," Koch said.