ERIE, Pa. – Kate Balcom registered 22 points, five steals and four assists to lead the Grove City women's basketball team past Penn State Behrend 79-65 in non-conference action on Monday night.
The Wolverines (3-4) broke open a four-point lead after the first quarter with a 31-16 scoring advantage in the second period and stay out front for their second straight win. Laura Buchana added 13 points and Lexie Arkwright finished with 12 points, nine rebounds and six assists.
For the first time this season, the Lions (2-5) had four players in double-figure scoring. Autumn Byes (Erie, PA/Villa Maria Academy), Erika Woll (Erie, PA/Mercyhurst) and Ally Dillman (Erie, PA/McDowell) each recorded 11 points.
With the game tied at 11-all with 3:10 left in the first quarter, Grove City hit a three pointer and two jumpers for an 18-12 lead. Emily Kinecki (Erie, PA/Mercyhurst) closed out the quarter with a good layup off a pass from Byes to make it, 18-14.
The Wolverines continued the hot shooting in the second quarter with a 10-2 run to start for a double-digit lead at 26-16. Back-to-back Balcom baskets gave Grove City a 14-point lead at the 5:20 mark. The Wolverines went 4-for-4 from the field in the final two minutes for their largest lead of the half at 49-30.
Grove City tallied the first nine points of the third quarter and held Behrend scoreless for four minutes, 15 seconds. At the same point in the fourth quarter, the Wolverines had taken a 30-point lead after two free throws by Jessica Kimbrell.
The Lions outscored Grove City 23-11 in the final quarter, hitting three of their four triples in the last 3:11 of the game but it was not enough to overcome the deficit from the second and third quarters.
Behrend returns to action on Wednesday against Westminster. Tip-off is at 6 p.m.