PHILADELPHIA (12/15/02) - Junior Irina Krasnoshiok scored a career-high 27 points and the Saint Joseph's women's basketball team (3-4) withstood a furious second half comeback by Drexel (1-5) to register a 58-53 victory at the Daskalakis Center. The victory snapped a two-game skid by the Crimson and Gray. The Hawks maintained a double-digit buffer through much of the game and held their largest lead, a 15-point advantage, 47-32, with 13:48 left to play. SJU, still led by ten, 54-44, with 5:45 remaining. Drexel, however, outscored the Hawks 9-0 over the next 4:20 to trim St. Joe's lead down to just a single point, 54-53, with 1:26 to play in regulation. A pair of free throws by Krasnoshiok and a driving layup by junior Erin Brady helped the Crimson and Gray hang on for the win, 58-53. Krasnoshiok, who shot 12-18 from the field in the contest, was virtually unstoppable in the opening stanza, netting 16 point before the break. She was backed by 11 points and seven rebounds from junior Stephanie Graff. The duo gave the Hawks a decided advantage in the paint, where SJU outscored Drexel 38-14 for the game. Besides Krasnoshiok and Brady, the perimeter tandem of Brady and junior Elizabeth "Hootie" Mohan both turned in solid all-around games for SJU. Brady finished with eight points, six assists, five rebounds and five steals. Mohan, meanwhile had six points, five boards and five assists. For the second straight game, SJU received an lift from senior Natasha Pronga. Playing a career-high 25 minutes, Pronga came off the pine as a defensive replacement and tormented DU's leading scorer Steph Frysinger all over the court. Drexel was paced by ten points apiece form Katrina Martin and Candace Wilkins. The Hawks wrap up final exams this week, but then hit the road again on Sunday, taking on defending national champion Connecticut in Hartford.