Lions' Hot Start Continues in Home Opener
by McKenzie Quirin
ALTOONA, Pa. – The Penn State Altoona women's basketball team stayed undefeated through its first two games of the schedule, winning 76-63 over non-conference opponent Penn State Beaver in the Lions' first home contest of the season in Adler Arena on Sunday night.
Penn State Altoona (2-0) finished the game with multiple players making strong contributions that helped the Lions solidify the win. Avana Sayles (Venetia, PA/Peters Township) rounded off an impressive stat line with a game-high 26 points to go along with five rebounds, four steals and two assists, she she tied for the second-most field goals made in a game in team history by hitting 12 shots in 19 attempts.
Jess Burns (South Fayette, PA/South Fayette) and Jaidyn McCracken (Bellwood, PA/Bellwood-Antis) also had double-digit scoring nights for the Lions. Burns ended with 10 points, seven assists, three rebounds and one steal, while McCracken finished the game with 17 points, a game-high nine rebounds, four steals and three assists.
Emery Black and Kyra Seggewiss both contributed double digits in points for Penn State Beaver (0-4) in their loss, as Black put up 13 points with six rebounds, seven assists and two steals, while Seggewiss posted 15 points with eight rebounds.
Beaver's Black made a layup at the 9:33 mark in the first quarter for the game's first score, but McCracken got Penn State Altoona on the board at 7:45, as she made a three-point jump shot, cutting the Lions' deficit to one, 4-3. After adding to their score, the Lions took the lead as time wound down in the first quarter. Beaver tied the Lions at nine halfway through the first quarter, but Penn State Altoona secured a point lead of 18-17 going into the second quarter.
Penn State Altoona extended their lead to 20-17 close to a minute into the second quarter on a layup from McCracken. For the better of the quarter, it was all Penn State Altoona, but Beaver tied it at 26 at the 5:25 mark. Beaver's sturdy offense proved to be tough for the Lions, as the visitors took over the lead by the end of the second quarter, 35-34.
Starting off the third quarter, Penn State Altoona tied the score up at 35 on a Raniyah Green (Hillside, NJ/East Orange/Hillside) free throw, then took the lead on a three-pointer from Burns. A jumper from Sayles got the Lions' lead to 10 points, 49-39, and Rakaya Cooper's (East Orange, NJ/East Orange) basket at 3:15 made it 51-40. The Lions continued to dominate offensively, as scores from Camryn Figard (Hollidaysburg, PA/Hollidaysburg) and Chelsea McCaulsky (Bellwood, PA/Bellwood-Antis) gave Penn State Altoona a 15-point lead, 55-40. Free throws late in the period from Figard and McCracken gave the Lions a 60-46 advantage going into the final 10 minutes of the game.
Beaver gave the Lions a little push in the fourth quarter, cutting Penn State Altoona's lead to four points, 62-58, with 4:36 to play. But the home team responded with an 8-0 run, getting a jumper from Figard and three-pointers by Burns and Jordan Bisignani (Pittsburgh, PA/Peters Township) to boost its lead back to 12 points, 70-58. The Lions got late baskets from Sayles, Figard and McCracken to help cement the hard-fought victory.
Up next, the Penn State Altoona women's basketball team stays at home to compete against non- conference opponent Lycoming College on Wednesday, November 15, at 6 p.m.
