McKeesport, PA. – The Penn State Greater Allegheny Women’s Basketball team (1-1, 0-0) slipped up against Ave Maria (5-0, 0-0) on Wednesday night falling 92-47. PSUGA fell behind early in the contest and never had the fire power to get back into the game taking their first loss of the season.
After scoring the first points of the game off of the opening tip as Tearia Hartley (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg North HS) took the opening tip to the net giving PSUGA a 2-0 lead. However, Ave Maria opened things up with a 6-0 run and kept their foot on the gas the rest of the game never giving up the lead. After allowing 28 points in the first quarter, PSUGA was able to play stronger and stronger defense as the game went on.
PSUGA’s biggest offensive effort of the day came in the third quarter when they scored 14 points and got the score to 76-37. Tina Clybourn (Pittsburgh, PA./Brashear HS) hit a big three-pointer in the beginning of the quarter to help PSUGA get some confidence, and finished with a late two for five of her seven points on the day.
However, Ave Maria would score 16 points to PSUGA’s 10 in the final quarter to seal the 92-47 win and move to 5-0 on the season. Jayla Ellis (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills HS) led the way in her first game back from injury with 12 points and one rebound while Alex Hall (Washington, D.C./Bell HS) finished with a season high 11 points and three rebounds.
Hartley finished with seven points while leading the team with four assists and tying with Andrea Burroughs (New Rochelle, NY./New Rochelle HS) for the team lead in rebounds with seven apiece. The loss moves PSUGA to 1-1 on the season as they continue their tough stretch of out of conference games.
PSUGA has some positives to take from this game including shooting 33.9% (20-59) from the floor and going 2-3 on three-point shots. PSUGA continues to improve and being able to create opportunities against a tough opponent will prepare them for what is ahead in the Penn State University Athletic Conference.
It is a quick turn around for PSUGA as they travel to Lamont Furnace, PA. to participate in the Penn State Fayette tournament over the weekend. They will play two games in two days against Anderson University on Friday at 2 p.m. and then against Alfred St. on Saturday at 3 p.m.
