PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The La Roche women's basketball team went on a 9-0 run in the final 1:55 of the game to defeat Penn State Behrend 71-63 in Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) action on Saturday afternoon.
The Redhawks (15-3, 10-1 AMCC) remain on top of the AMCC standings to start the second half of conference play thanks to four of the five starters hitting double digits led by Sabrina McLin 19 points. MacKenzie O'Donnell had six of her 17 points in the final three minutes, including a 4-for-5 showing from the free-throw line.
The Lions (9-9, 7-4 AMCC), who were looking to avenge a 15-point loss to La Roche earlier this season, got a team-best 15 points from Erika Woll (Erie, PA/Mercyhurst). Dani Reinwald (Clymer, NY/Clymer Central) finished with 13 rebounds and five blocks.
Ali Goetz (Mars, PA/Mars) scored nine of the teams 19 points in the first quarter that resulted in a 19-10 lead after the opening period. Similar to the last contest where Behrend jumped out to a 19-1 lead, the Lions took an 11-4 advantage after a Goetz jump shot and then buried the final two shots by Heidi Langhorst (Corapolis, PA/Our Lady of the Sacred Heart) and Woll for their largest lead of the game.
La Roche answered with an 18-8 scoring advantage in the second quarter to take a small 28-27 lead at halftime.
Different from the first time the two teams met earlier this season, the game had eight ties and seven lead changes. After the third quarter, the contest was locked at 47-all with 10 minutes left to play.
Fontaine Glenn (West Sunbury, PA/Moniteau) scored four consecutive points and Goetz got her final two points from the line for a 55-51 lead with 7:02 remaining. The Lions kept a four-point edge after Woll's one free throw at the 3:07 mark, but the Redhawks tied it with a three-point play by O'Donnell and then a free-throw from McLin.
Glenn hit the back end of two free throws and that would be the last point for Behrend with 1:55 left. McLin started the 9-0 run with a pair of free throws, followed by Tichina Mitchell's layup before La Roche was sent to the line for the final five points.
The Lions return to action on Wednesday at Pitt-Bradford. Game time is 8 p.m.
