by Christina Roukas

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Penn State Altoona women's basketball team started its season off with a loss on Tuesday night, when the Lions fell 86-47 to Chatham University.

Penn State Altoona (0-1) stayed within striking distance during the first half, but a big third quarter by Chatham (1-0) helped the Cougars increase their lead by a significant margin.

The first quarter started off slowly, with neither team scoring for the first two minutes. Avana Sayles (Venetia, PA/Peters Township) hit a jump shot to put Altoona on the board first at 7:58, and she made two more baskets as the Lions got off to a 6-0 run against the Cougars. However, Chatham responded by tying the game and taking the lead, 8-6. Jordan Bisignani (Pittsburgh, PA/Peters Township) scored a basket to tie the game at 8-8, but once again, Chatham jumped back in front, 11-8. Sarah Huston (Coatesville, PA/Coatesville) hit a three-pointer to even the score 11-11, but Chatham reclaimed the lead and held on to it.

Down by 12 points in the second quarter, Huston scored a three-pointer to lower Altoona's deficit to nine, 25-16. Baskets by Katheryn Longenecker (Williamsburg, PA/Central) and Jess Burns (South Fayette, PA/South Fayette) kept the difference at nine points, but Chatham widened the gap to a healthy 15-point lead against the Lions, 35-20. The Cougars went into the half up 39-28.

Altoona struggled offensively in the second half, as Chatham limited the Lions to 19 points over the third and fourth quarters.

Emma Kitko (Houtzdale, PA/Moshannon Valley) made a jump shot at 6:31 of the third quarter, followed by a three-pointer at 6:07 to bring the Lions within 13, 46-33. But Chatham went on to expand its lead to 26 by the period's end, as the Cougars outscored Altoona 22-7 in the third quarter

Chatham led by as many as 39 points during the fourth quarter, and as the Cougars prevailed in the teams' first game of the season.

Huston led the Lions with 12 points and three steals while adding five rebounds and two assists. Emily Munson (New Hartford, CT/Northwestern Regional) grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds to lead all players in the game.

Sayles scored eight points to go along with four rebounds, and Kitko put up five points and three rebounds.

The Lions return home for their next game, as the team will host Eastern Mennonite University on Wednesday, November 9. Tip-off is set at 5:00 p.m.