Celtics Hold Off Lions, 75-68
ALTOONA, Pa. – Carlow University fended off a second half push by the Penn State Altoona women's basketball team on Tuesday night, dealing the Lions a 75-68 loss in the Adler Arena.
With the score tied at halftime, Carlow (4-6) established a nine-point lead near the end of the third quarter. Penn State Altoona (2-5) fought back to close the gap to two late in the fourth, but the Celtics ultimately hung on for the win.
The Lions' Sarah Huston (Coatesville, PA/Coatesville) led all scorers in the game with a season-high 22 points, had team-highs with seven assists and five steals, and also secured six rebounds. Jess Burns (South Fayette, PA/South Fayette) also had a season-high scoring total with 18 points, and Avana Sayles (Venetia, PA/Peters Township) notched her fourth consecutive double-double with 14 points and a team-best 14 rebounds.
Carlow was led in scoring by Sydney Carr, who finished with 20 points to go along with eight rebounds. Megan Ost had 16 points and a game-high 15 rebounds, and Emari Stinnette finished with 15 points.
Penn State Altoona worked its way out to a 10-4 lead just over two minutes into the opening quarter, following five points apiece from Burns and Huston. Burns' three-pointer at the six-minute mark put the Lions up 13-8, and Sayles' bucket at 5:19 gave Penn State Altoona a 15-8 advantage, which would be their largest lead of the game. Carlow responded with a 9-0 run, capped by Stinnette's jumper at 2:33 that put the Celtics up 17-15. Two late free throws helped the visitors to a 19-18 lead by the period's end.
The Lions jumped back on top early in the second quarter, after five points from Sayles made it 23-21. Jordyn Travis (Penn Run, PA/United) converted a three-point play, and Huston connected from beyond the arc at 4:59 to give Penn State Altoona a 29-25 lead. Carlow came back to regain the lead, following layups from Ost and Stinnette that put the Celtics ahead 32-29 by the 2:31 mark. Burns' three-pointer at 1:46 tied the score 32-32, and the teams traded baskets the rest of the way to go into the intermission knotted at 38.
Midway through the third quarter, layups from Huston and Sayles put Penn State Altoona up by three, 45-42, and Emma Kitko's (Houtzdale, PA/Moshannon Valley) basket at 4:55 kept the home team in front, 47-45. But a 10-0 run by Carlow over the next two minutes – punctuated by a Brianna Evans layup and foul shot – gave the visitors an eight-point lead. An Emily Hillgartner free throw at 1:13 gave the Celtics their biggest lead of the night, 58-49. Penn State Altoona responded by outscoring Carlow 7-0 over the remainder of the quarter, using Huston's layup and foul shot, Burns' bucket, and Jaidyn McCracken's (Bellwood, PA/Bellwood-Antis) late basket to get back to within two, 58-56.
Carlow boosted its lead back to six points in the fourth quarter, and Carr's jumper gave her team a 68-62 advantage with 3:23 to play. But Penn State Altoona brought it back to a one-possession game, following a Burns trey and Huston foul shot that cut the Carlow lead to 68-66 by the 2:16 mark. Huston's layup at 1:03 kept her team within two points, 70-68. But the Celtics held Penn State Altoona scoreless the rest of the way while tacking five free throws on to their total.
Penn State Altoona women's basketball gets back to action tomorrow, Wednesday, December 7, as the Lions will travel east to face USCAA opponent Penn State Schuylkill at 6:00 p.m.
