by McKenzie Quirin

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Penn State Altoona women's basketball team notched its first-ever win against new Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference opponent Carlow University on Wednesday night, when the Lions took a 72-58 victory on the road at Donahue Pavilion.

Penn State Altoona (13-9, 10-5 AMCC) secured their fourth consecutive win after starting the game off strong with an early 12-point lead, while limiting Carlow University (11-10, 8-7 AMCC) to a 31.1 percent field goal percentage.

Avana Sayles (Venetia, PA/Peters Township) and Jaidyn McCracken (Bellwood, PA/Bellwood-Antis) led the Lions with 22 points apiece. Sayles recorded her sixth double-double of the season as she grabbed a season and team-high in rebounds with 19, while McCracken finished with eight rebounds and four assists.

Jordan Bisignani (Pittsburgh, PA/Peters Township) added 16 points and secured 12 rebounds for her first double-double of the season, and she added two assists. Jess Burns (South Fayette, PA/South Fayette) posted a game-high six assists.

For Carlow University, Sydney Carr and Emiley Hillgartner ended their loss with 17 points apiece.

Penn State Altoona jumped out to an 18-9 lead by the conclusion of the first quarter, holding Carlow to a 3-for-21 performance from the floor. The Lions scored the game's first 12 points, including getting five points from McCracken during the first 1:10. Bisignani's free throw extended the Lions' lead to 13-5, while a jump shot from Sayles added two points, as they led 15-5. Penn State Altoona got a Chelsea McCaulsky (Bellwood, PA/Bellwood-Antis) jump shot and a McCracken free throw later in the quarter, and the away team took a nine-point lead into the second.

The Celtics got on the board first to start the second quarter, as Emma Aubrey made a three-pointer to get within six, as Penn State Altoona led 18-12. Sayles and the Lions got back on track, as she put in a jump shot, putting Penn State Altoona at 20 points. Although Carlow managed to escape with two points later, both teams went without a score for the next 2:29, as time wound down to just under six minutes left in the second. A Burns three-pointer ended the scoring drought, as Penn State Altoona took a 23-14 lead over the Celtics. Hillgartner got Carlow back in it as she netted her first and only three-pointer of the game. The Lions and Celtics went back-and-forth with scoring, but it was Penn State Altoona who went into halftime up 30-21.

Starting the third quarter right away, a McCracken three-pointer put the Lions on the board, increasing their lead to 33-21 over Carlow. A quick layup from the Celtics put them down by 10, but Sayles scored a layup to add two more to the Lions' advantage. Carlow remained down 35-25, even after a layup by Hillgartner was scored. Bisignani made a free throw to add a point to Penn State Altoona's lead, but Carlow got three back from a three-pointer from Aubrey at the 7:51 mark. McCracken broke through with her second three-pointer at 5:41, and Penn State Altoona went up 41-28, a 13-point lead. As Carlow continued to close in on the Lions, McCracken hit another three-pointer to push their lead to 48-35. A pair of free throws from Camryn Figard (Hollidaysburg, PA/Hollidaysburg) got Penn State Altoona over the 50-point mark, as they took a large 52-38 lead over the Celtics, and the Lions ended the third quarter up 52-40.

Bisignani did not waste time to start the fourth quarter, as she notched another two points, extending the Lions' lead to 54-40. A Hillgartner jump shot and layup got Carlow within 10, 54-44, early in the fourth quarter, and Carr managed to get the Celtics back within 10, 56-46, at 7:04. Two free throws from Sayles kept the difference at 10 points, and her layup at 4:56 put Penn State Altoona's lead at 60-51. Just 43 seconds later, two more foul shots by Sayles boosted the Lions' lead back into double digits, 62-51. Bisignani, Sayles, and McCracken combined to go 8-for-8 at the free throw line over the game's final 1:55, helping key Penn State Altoona's successful finish against Carlow, as the Lions won 72-58.

Next up, the Penn State Altoona women's basketball team returns home to Adler Arena on Saturday, February 10, to take on AMCC opponent Penn State Behrend at 2 p.m., in which the team will host its annual Sideline Cancer Day.