CRESSON, Pa. – Aly Eagle scored 17 of her game-high 22 points in the second half to lead Penn State Behrend to the 85-78 come-back victory over Mt. Aloysius in the regular-season Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) finale on Saturday afternoon.
The Lions (18-6, 14-4 AMCC) bounced back from shooting only 24 percent in the first half, to hitting for 52 percent in the second half to erase an eight-point deficit and outscore the Mounties (10-14, 8-10 AMCC) 59-44 in the final 20 minutes for the win.
Behrend secured the third seed in the playoffs and will host Mt. Aloysius on Tuesday night in the Junker Center for a spot in the AMCC semifinals next Friday at No. 2 Medaille. Game time is 7 p.m.
Holly Bourquin posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 boards. She went a perfect 8-for-8 from the line. Kim Pol registered 14 points and Amy Oldach matched Bourquin with 12 points. Oldach's three steals puts her five away from breaking the all-time record.
The Mounties were led by Kaylee Keagy and Ali Maruca with 19 points apiece.
It seemed like easy breezing for the Lions with the way they opened the game. Pol drained two three-pointers and Aly Eagle added five straight points for an 11-0 start. Mt. Aloysius returned the favor and used a 13-2 run to knot the game at 13-all.
The hosts stayed on top for the remaining of the first half and took an eight-point lead at the break thanks to 18 points from the bench.
Pol and Eagle teamed up once again, combining to score the first 15 points of the second half. Eagle's three-pointer at the 15:43 mark tied the game at 41-all.
With six lead changes in the half, the Mounties got back the lead for only a minute after a Maruca three-point play at 46-44. Julia Myers went 4-for-4 from the line and added layup and Oldach's two free throws put Behrend ahead for good with 11:17 left to play, despite Mt. Aloysius tying the game with 2:16.
Tied at 74, Oldach's triple, clutch free-throw shooting and a total team effort helped the Lions register their 14th conference win and 18th victory of the season.
