Women’s Basketball Drops Home Game to La Roche
by Christina Roukas
ALTOONA, Pa. – In the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Game of the Week on Thursday night in Adler Arena, the Penn State Altoona women's basketball team lost 75-40 to La Roche University.
Early in the first quarter, the Lions' Emma Kitko (Houtzdale, PA/Moshannon Valley) shot a shot clock buzzer-beating three to put Penn State Altoona (8-9, 5-2 AMCC) up 8-6. Avana Sayles' (Venetia, PA/Peters Township) layup ended a La Roche (11-7, 7-0 AMCC) 8-0 run to keep the Lions within four, 14-10.
But La Roche led by seven after the first quarter, then took a healthy lead in the second quarter, when the Redhawks outscored Penn State Altoona 22-2 in the period. La Roche found itself in the lead by 27 points, 41-14, at halftime.
In the third quarter, Emily Munson (New Hartford, CT/Northwestern Regional) scored a layup and a foul shot to make it 48-20, and Kitko connected from the three-point line on her team's next possession to trim the difference to 25 points, 48-23.
Jess Burns (South Fayette, PA/South Fayette) hit a jump shot early in the fourth quarter to put the difference at 30 points, 60-30, and a Camryn Figard (Hollidaysburg, PA/Hollidaysburg) layup made it 62-34. But La Roche maintained comfortable lead, en route to their 75-40 victory.
Kitko led the Lions with nine points and tied for the team lead in assists with three. Sayles contributed eight points, a team-high eight rebounds, and one block.
La Roche got a game-high 25 points and 13 rebounds from Machia Hairston. Danajah Sanders added 14 points for the Redhawks, and Makayla Abram scored 13 points.
The Penn State Altoona women's basketball team continues its season at home this Saturday, January 28 in the Adler Arena, playing against AMCC opponent Hilbert College. Tipoff is set for 3:00 p.m.
