McKeesport, Pa. - Despite their hard-work, the Penn State Greater Allegheny women's basketball team fell to Butler County Community College, Thursday night, by a margin of 86-74.

Greater Allegheny jumped out to a quick lead, as junior guard Jess Manfredi (Jefferson Hills, Pa./Serra Catholic) knocked down a layup. Sophomore guard Tori Johnston (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) hammered down a three-pointer before freshman forward Andrea Burroughs (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) laid on a lay-up, GA ahead of BCCC 7-4.

The next few minutes, the Lion offense ran the court. T. Johnston added a free-throw point before she went on to drain another layup. Sophomore guard Mandi Johnston (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) hammered down a trey before T. Johnston followed her up with another outside the arc, 16-11 Lions. Manfredi drained a three-pointer as M. Johnston mirrored her to continue the GA stride.

M. Johnston and freshman guard Brianna Williams (Pittsburgh, Pa./University Prep) both produced layups as Greater Allegheny found themselves ahead of BCCC, 26-13. Sophomore forward Morgan McCallister (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) tacked on a layup to send the two teams into their first break after the first quarter, Greater Allegheny leading 28-16.

Butler County CC were not going down without a fight. The first five minutes of the new quarter of action brought BCCC within five points of the home team. Manfredi cashed in on a pair of layups as M. Johnston added two points herself. Burroughs dropped a jumper to elevate GA 38-29 with just three to go until half.

BCCC continued to fight on as M. Johnston put up a layup and T. Johnston tallied a three outside the arc. Burroughs put up four points as M. Johnston noted another layup, Greater Allegheny still leading going into the break, 49-41.

Burroughs accounted for a layup and one to get the scoring drive going again in the fresh set of 20 minutes. M. Johnston downed a jumper before BCCC brought their deficit within three. M. Johnston made a three-pointer and a jumper before the Pioneer defense held GA as they upended the home team and took the lead, 64-59 going into the final quarter.

The visitors stretched their lead to nine before M. Johnston added four and Burroughs with a layup. T. Johnston took a jumper along with a trey, continuing the Greater Allegheny fight as BCCC led 76-70 with a little over a minute to play. The Pioneers continued to place shots into the mesh as the Johnston sisters marked the final four points of the game. Butler County Community College goes on to take the second meeting of the season by the way of a 86-74 overthrow.

While shooting 54% (13-of-24) from the floor, including a trio of treys, M. Johnston put up her first double-double of the season with 29 points and ten assists as well as six boards and two steals. Burroughs put up her second double-double of the season, as the forward pulled down 14 rebounds with 13 points contributed. T. Johnston assisted her team with 19 points, seven rebounds, and two assists, while making seven shots from the floor, four of them being outside the arc. McCallister pulled down 13 rebounds as Manfredi dished out five assists and nine points. 

As a team, Greater Allegheny out-rebounded the Pioneers 52-51 while putting 36 points in the paint, 20 points off second-chance and 17 points off turnovers.

Greater Allegheny (2-4) will go on the road with the men for a Southern State Community College Tip-Off Tournament. The women are set to play a pair of games on Friday and Saturday.