SLIPPERY ROCK - A trip to the state quarterfinals was there for the taking for Freeport's girls basketball team.

But the Yellowjackets simply couldn't put the ball through the hoop.

Trailing Seneca 33-31 at the end of three quarters, Freeport's offense fell into a 6½-minute slump at the worst possible time.

The Yellowjackets' first points of the final period came on a Maria Lutz putback with 1:31 to play. But in the meantime, the Bobcats took a 41-33 lead.

Seneca (23-6) protected the lead with foul shooting in a 52-38 PIAA second-round playoff win Tuesday night at Slippery Rock University's Morrow Field House.

"We had a hard time getting in sync on offense tonight," said Freeport coach Kirk Lorigan. "Things started not going our way and it just snowballed."

Julie McCorkle, who netted 11 points, was the only Yellowjacket to score in double figures.

Seneca had three players in double digits: Kelli Eastman (18 points), Annemarie Priester (12) and Lisa Brozewicz (10).

"I think it showed on the court tonight that it was a total team effort," said Seneca coach Joe Craig. "But Kelli is the heart and soul of this team. She does whatever it takes on the floor."

Freeport's second-half slide actually began in the third period.

With the Yellowjackets (23-5) leading 26-23, the Bobcats went on a 10-5 run in the last 5:29 of the quarter to grab the lead with one period to play.

It was in the middle of the run, with 3:42 left in the third quarter, that Freeport forward Michelle Vascik went down with a foot injury. She spent the rest of the game on the bench.

Vascik recently returned to the Yellowjackets' lineup after recovering from the same setback.

"I don't think that was the decisive factor in the game," Lorigan said. "She was out earlier this year and we played a lot of games without her."

Still, Freeport's deficit was only two points. But nothing went its way in the final eight minutes as the Yellowjackets missed their first 10 field goal attempts in the final quarter.

"We couldn't get to the foul line in the fourth quarter," said Lorigan. "I'm not saying that the officiating was poor, but we were in an offensive slump. Sometimes getting to the line and getting some points there can pull a team out of a slump."

The Bobcats have used stingy defense to win all five of their playoff games.

"I believe the 38 points we gave up tonight is the most we've surrendered in the playoffs," said Craig. "I think it was a combination of things that led to (Freeport's slump). Their offense went cold, but we played well on the defensive side, too."

Playing their last game as seniors for the Yellowjackets were Nicole Beggs, Shannon Reesman, Maria Lutz, Courtney Callas, Megan Prazenica, Vascik and McCorkle.

"These girls set a precedent as to how it's supposed to be done," Lorigan said. "We're proud of all the games they played, the wins and the losses."

SENECA 52

Ashley Sonney 2 5-7 9, Kayla O'Connor 0 3-4 3, Kelli Eastman 6 5-8 18, Lisa Brozewicz 4 2-4 10, Annemarie Priester 5 2-4 12, Liz Heubel 0 0-0 0. Totals: 17 17-27 52.

FREEPORT 38

Nicole Beggs 2 1-2 5, Shannon Reesman 2 2-3 6, Julie McCorkle 5 1-1 11, Maria Lutz 2 0-0 5, Courtney Callas 0 1-2 1, Megan Prazenica 1 0-0 2, Michelle Vascik 1 0-0 2, Laney Pastoria 2 0-0 6, Nikki Woitas 0 0-0 0, Jamie Shockey 0 0-0 0, Emily Ferko 0 0-0 0, Kristen Almquist 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15 5-8 38.

3-point goals:

Eastman; Pastoria 2, Lutz.