ERIE, Pa. – Jessica Pitts went 6-for-9 from the field for a team-high 14 points to lead La Roche past Behrend 51-39 in Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) women's basketball action on Saturday.
The Redhawks (7-1, 4-0 AMCC) remain the only undefeated team in the conference, handing the Lions (6-2, 3-1 AMCC) their first home and AMCC loss.
Holly Bourquin (Pittsburgh, PA/Fox Chapel) and Brittany Wilwohl (Erie, PA/Villa Maria Academy) each scored in double figures. Bourquin recorded 15 points and eight rebounds, while Wilwohl added 11 points.
In a very low scoring game, the defending conference champions took the lead off the opening tip with a three-pointer by Amanda Garland and never looked back for their seventh win of the season.
A three-point play by Casie Cygan gave La Roche a 10-4 lead at the 13:51 mark. The Lions were able to cut the lead to one and eventually tie the game off a good layup by Kimmy Pol (Erie, PA/Collegiate Academy) to make it 16-all.
La Roche finished the half on a 9-0 run behind four points from Pitts and another triple by Garland. Emily Detsch (St. Mary's, PA/Elk County Catholic) got the last basket with just under two minutes to play for a 25-18 Redhawks lead at intermission.
La Roche turned a seven-point lead into 14 at 32-18 thanks to a trey and jumper by Cygan along with a Pitts layup.
Behrend took advantage of three missed Redhawks buckets to put away three of their own to cut the lead to 38-33 with 5:36 left to play. That was the closest the Lions would get. La Roche regained the double-digit lead to close out the game.
The Lions return to action on Friday, December 30 at Alfred. Game time is 2 p.m.
