Slow Start Dooms Mont Alto in Road Loss to PSU Beaver

By: Frank Maira, Assistant Director of Athletics/Sports Information Director

MONACA, Pa. – The Penn State Mont Alto women's basketball team was held to six points in the first quarter and despite a late rally they fell 68-51 to PSU Beaver on Saturday. With the PSUAC conference loss, Mont Alto drops to 5-11 overall and 2-9 within the conference.

Inside the Box Score

• It was a sloppy game with Mont Alto and Penn State Beaver combining to turn the ball over 54 times.
• Madison Bishop (Newville, Pa. / Big Spring) paced the Nittany Lions with 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting from the field. The sophomore also grabbed six rebounds.
• Jesime Freet (Carlisle, Pa. / Carlisle) chipped in nine points and five rebounds, while Meagan Smith (Littlestown, Pa. / Littlestown) added eight points off of the PSUMA bench.
• Penn State Beaver saw 12 different players feature in the rotation, but their starting lineup did the bulk of the scoring. Diamond Thomas and Emily Keener each finished with 16 points apiece.

How it Happened

• Penn State Beaver (17-3, 13-0 PSUAC) ran off to an early 19-2 lead after Alexis Cross made a pair of free throws. PSUMA were ice cold from the field within the quarter and trailed 27-6 moving into the second period. The Nittany Lions shot just 3-of-14 and had 11 turnovers within the quarter.
• Mont Alto settled into the game but still trailed 46-19 at halftime. It was within the third quarter the Beaver stretched the lead out to 33 points at 60-27 after an Emily Keener trey.
• Mont Alto played by far its best basketball in the final period. PSUMA opened the fourth on a 12-0 run and the only recorded bucket of the quarter by Beaver was on the final shot, which was a Nia Holley 3-pointer.

Mont Alto returns to action on Tuesday, February 4 hosting Penn State Hazleton at 6 p.m.