The Penn State Altoona women's basketball team's 2018-19 season slipped away during the second half of Wednesday night's Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III Championship Tournament first round game, as the Lady Lions suffered an 89-59 defeat to Washington & Jefferson College at the Henry Memorial Center.

For the opening 20 minutes of their ECAC opening round game, the Penn State Altoona Lions held close against the host Presidents of Washington and Jefferson College. In the third quarter, though, WJC took command and cruised to the win.

WJC (20-8) dominated the third frame, out-scoring PSU-A (12-14) 29-15 in the quarter, and the Presidents rode the wave of momentum to the 89-59 win.

WJC opened the second half by scoring eight of the first 10 points, and the Presidents never looked back. Later runs of 8-0 and 7-0 helped WJC break the game open, as the Presidents pushed their lead to 68-48 with 1:22 left in the frame. Any remaining doubt in the outcome was erased early in the fourth stanza with a 12-2 Presidents run, and WJC cruised home with the 89-59 win.

Alexis Cannistraci led the Lions with 17 points, and Finnley Christine (11) and Kaley Strittmatter (10) also scored in double figures.

WJC made 35 of 68 (51.5%) shots in the game, including 12 of 29 (41.4%) from beyond the arc. At the foul line, the Presidents were 7-for-9 (77.8%) in the game.
PSU-Altoona connected on 20 of 54 (37%) shots from the floor, seven of 18 (38.9%) from long distance, and 12 of 19 (63.2%) charity tosses.

The win advances WJC to Friday evening’s ECAC Quarterfinal round. The Presidents will battle the pod’s top-seeded Violets from New York University (14-10). The game is slated to tip off at 5 p.m.