Second Half Lead Slips Away from Lions
by Christina Roukas
ALTOONA, Pa. – On Saturday afternoon, the Penn State Altoona women's basketball team played against Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference opponent Alfred State College in a position to advance in their potential conference postseason hopes, but the Lions suffered a close 76-70 loss to the Pioneers.
Alfred State (10-9, 7-5 AMCC) started the first quarter with a 6-0 lead, but Penn State Altoona (5-16, 4-9 AMCC) tied the game 8-8 following a layup and foul shot by Alexis Cannistraci (Tyrone, PA/Tyrone). Sarah Huston (Coatesville, PA/Coatesville) broke the tie with a basket that put the Lions in the lead, 10-8, but Alfred State came back to tie the game, 10-10. Ellie Matthews (Kennett Square, PA/Kennett) broke the tie again, putting Penn State Altoona back on top after her layup that made it 12-10. Alfred State responded, putting up four points to tie the game, 14-14. Megan Hartman (Claysburg, PA/Claysburg-Kimmel) hit a three-pointer with 14 seconds left in the period, and Penn State Altoona ended the first quarter up 17-16.
During the second quarter, the Lions held the lead until Alfred State came back and tied the score 27-27, eventually taking a 30-27 advantage. Matthews put the Lions back in the lead, 31-30, on her layup with just over three minutes to go in the period. Once again, the Pioneers answered and took a 32-31 lead. But the Lions had a six-point run, putting them back in the lead 37-36. Huston's layup made it 35-34, and following a Cannistraci shot block, Matthews made a shot to give Penn State Altoona a three-point lead with 1:15 left in the half. By halftime, the Lions had built a 41-36 lead.
In the third quarter, the Lions got off to a strong start on offense. Emma Kitko (Houtzdale, PA/Moshannon Valley) made a three-pointer at 6:21, putting Penn State Altoona in a 10-point lead, 48-38. But Alfred State narrowed its deficit to five points by the end of the quarter, and the Lions led 52-47 entering the fourth.
In the fourth quarter, Penn State Altoona got its lead back to eight points, 62-54, after a pair of Cannistraci foul shots at 6:47. But the Pioneers came back and took a 65-64 lead with 3:28 to go. With 16 seconds left, Cannistraci put in a layup to lower Penn State Altoona's deficit to two, 72-70. But Alfred State scored the game's final four points, and the Lions lost 76-70.
Penn State Altoona played a tight game against Alfred State, but the win slipped through their fingers in the final quarter.
Cannistraci led the Lions with 17 points and six assists, and she also had seven rebounds, two steals, and one block. Matthews contributed 14 points and a game-high 13 rebounds for her seventh double-double of the season, and she also finished with four assists, one steal, and one block.
Huston also had 14 points while grabbing 10 rebounds to record her second career double-double, and she added six assists and a game-high three steals. Kitko posted 11 points and two rebounds, and Hartman had 10 points, four rebounds, and two steals. Emily Marines (Nanty Glo, PA/Blacklick Valley) chipped in four points.
Alfred State got a game-high 23 points from My'ana Davis, and Janna Pena had a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
The Penn State Altoona's women's basketball team's next game is at home against Pitt- Greensburg on Wednesday, February 9. Tip-off is set at 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday's game, the team's final regular season home game, is also its Senior Night, when the program will recognize senior forward/center Cannistraci in a pregame ceremony.
