by Christina Roukas

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – The Penn State Altoona women's basketball team broke its two-game skid on Friday evening, staging a second half comeback to defeat Penn College 55-47.

In the first quarter, Sarah Huston (Coatesville, PA/Coatesville) hit a three to tie the game, 6-6, for Penn State Altoona (3-6). But Penn College (1-6) came back to take a 17-8 lead, helped by a 7-0 run to end the period. Avana Sayles' (Venetia, PA/Peters Township) three made it 17-11 early in the second quarter, followed by a layup by Jordan Bisignani (Pittsburgh, PA/Peters Township) to lower the deficit to four points, 17-13. The halftime score was 25-17, with Penn College in front. 

In the third quarter, Jess Burns (South Fayette, PA/South Fayette) connected from the three-point line to start the scoring, followed by a jump shot from Sayles to make it 25-22. Huston then made two foul shots to bring the Lions to within one, and Burns' layup gave Penn State Altoona the lead, 26-25. Penn College responded, tying the score at 30 and then taking the lead, 33-30. But Huston shot a three to tie the game, and the Lions took the lead 35-33 on a Sayles layup.

Leading by one to start the fourth quarter, the Lions used a Burns three-pointer, Sayles jump shot, and two Huston free throws to go up by seven points, and a Jordyn Travis (Penn Run, PA/United) layup extended the Lions' lead to 46-37. Sayles' jumper late in the quarter widened Penn State Altoona's lead to 50-41, and the Lions went on to win by a final score of 55-47.

Sayles put up a game-high 20 points for the Lions while tying for the game-high in rebounds with eight, and Burns had 15 points, five rebounds, and three steals. Huston scored 14 points, tied for the game-high in rebounds with eight, and led all players with seven steals and six assists.

The Lions continue their season on the road, as the team will play against NAIA opponent Point Park University on Tuesday, December 20. Tip-off is at 2:00 p.m.