by Casey Burinskas

GREENSBURG, Pa. – The Penn State Altoona women's basketball team hit the road on Wednesday night to face off against Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference opponent Pitt-Greensburg in the Chambers Hall Gym, where the Lions bagged a 67-56 win to bring home.

Penn State Altoona (4-4, 2-0 AMCC) got off to a strong start, outscoring Pitt-Greensburg (1-6, 0-1 AMCC) 29-17 in the first quarter. The Lions maintained a steady lead the rest of the way to pick up their second conference victory of the season.

Avana Sayles (Venetia, PA/Peters Township) and Jess Burns (South Fayette, PA/South Fayette) tied for the game high in points, scoring 16 apiece for the Lions. Sayles led all players with 14 rebounds for her second double-double of the season, while Burns added five boards. Jordan Bisignani (Pittsburgh, PA/Peters Township) secured 13 rebounds while dishing out a game-high nine assists.

Madison Rusnica (DuBois, PA/DuBois) contributed 10 points, Jaidyn McCracken (Bellwood, PA/Bellwood-Antis) scored eight, and Raniyah Green (Hillside, NJ/East Orange/Hillside) had seven points with nine rebounds and three assists.

Pitt-Greensburg was led in scoring and rebounding by Tiana Moracco, who finished with 15 and 13, respectively. Jocelyn Bielak added 13 points for the Bobcats.

McCracken started the first quarter scoring for Penn State Altoona when she landed points on the board with a three-pointer, followed by Burns coming in to gain the Lions two more points on a layup. Altoona led 9-6 after Burns came back and made two jumpers, and Sayles landed a layup to make it 11-8. Burns sank two three-pointers, and further into the quarter with two minutes left, Rusnica was able to find a basket on a three-pointer. Haley Hicks (Wylie, TX/Wylie East) made a free throw to put the Lions up 27-15 with 1:04 to go, and Green finalized her team's lead at 29-17 to end the quarter, scoring a layup to finish the scoring in the period.

In the second quarter, McCracken was first to strike again with a layup for Altoona. Green added a free throw, then four minutes later, made a layup. Sayles' basket at 3:50 gave the Lions a 12-point lead, 36-24, before Bisignani made a three-pointer to make it 39-24 a minute later. Altoona remained in the lead for the rest of the quarter, and a late layup by Burns gave the Lions a 41-27 advantage by halftime.

Starting the third quarter, McCracken made a three-pointer, followed by another layup from Green and Bisignani making a free throw to help the Lions run away with an even larger lead, 47-29. Sayles placed a jumper in the net, followed by Rusnica making another three-pointer for the Lions. After a foul from Pitt-Greensburg, Halle Kuzminski (Warren, PA/Warren) made two free throws at 2:36, and the quarter closed out with the Lions in front by a score of 54-35.

In the fourth and final quarter, Allyana Stephens (Johnstown, PA/Bishop McCort) made her first points of the game with a three-pointer. Rusnica made a three-pointer – her third of the game – and Sayles made another jumper to widen the gap between the gaining Bobcats, who got back to within nine points during the quarter. Coming down to the final seconds, Rusnica landed one free throw and Burns made two more to help Altoona end the game on top, 67-56.

Next up this week for the Lions, the women's basketball team with be on the road once again against AMCC opponent Hilbert College at 3 p.m. this Saturday, December 7.