Women's Basketball Falls in Season Opener to Fredonia State

FREDONIA, NY – The Fredonia State women's basketball team had five players in double figures, led by Jenna Einink's game-high 25 points to defeat Penn State Behrend 100-83 in non-conference action on Tuesday night.

In the season opener for both teams, the Blue Devils (1-0) turned a three-point lead after the third quarter into a 17-point victory outscoring the Lions (0-1) 28-15 in the fourth quarter. Jacque Law added 18 points, five steals, four assists and two blocks, while Alexis Cheatham tallied 17 points and a game-best seven assists.

Heidi Langhorst (Corapolis, PA/Our Lady of the Sacred Heart), one of four players with double-digit points, tied her career high with 17 points and notched her first double-double with 10 rebounds. Erika Woll (Erie, PA/Mercyhurst Prep) added 13 points, eight rebounds, six steals and five assists.

The Blue Devils darted out to an 11-point lead in the first 3:43 of the opening quarter. Law tallied eight of those points to give her team an early, comfortable lead. Langhorst and Emily Kinecki (Erie, PA/Mercyhurst) each scored four points, before Sadie Zielinski (Erie, PA/Harbor Creek) and Woll each drained a layup to get Behrend within one point with 1:55 left in the first quarter.

Heading into the second quarter, Fredonia State kept a slight lead and took a five-point edge into halftime thanks to 4-for-4 shooting from the floor in the final 1:44 to make it 49-44.

Much like the first quarter, the Blue Devils regained a double-digit lead in the first 58 seconds of the third quarter but Langhorst and Kinecki managed to pull the Lions within two at 66-64 thanks to a pair of buckets and an unconventional three-point play.

Fontaine Glenn (West Sunbury, PA/Moniteau) and Woll each made a bucket for a three-point deficit after three quarters.

Fredonia State turned it on at the beginning of the fourth quarter and at the end to hold off the Lions. The Blue Devils tallied 10 points in the first three minutes and then scored nine in the final 2:30, while only allowing Behrend to register three points down the stretch for the season-opening win.

Fredonia State shot 50.6 percent from the floor for the game and held a 47-44 advantage on the boards.

The Lions return to action on Friday against Defiance in the opening game of their Tip-Off Tournament, beginning at 6 p.m.