Panthers Start and Finish Strong For Win over Women's Basketball

BRADFORD, Pa. – Ali Rinfrette scored a game-high 24 points, adding six steals, six rebounds and two blocks to lead Pitt-Bradford over Penn State Behrend 68-51 in Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) action on Saturday.

Rinfrette tallied 13 of those 24 points, draining three triples in the decisive fourth quarter to help the Panthers (7-5, 5-1 AMCC) collect their fifth straight victory.

Heidi Langhorst (Corapolis, PA/Our Lady of the Sacred Heart) tallied 16 points and seven rebounds for the Lions (4-9, 3-3 AMCC), who suffered their second consecutive conference loss in the New Year.

The Panthers forced Behrend to commit a third of its overall turnovers for the game in the first quarter that resulted in a 19-4 start. Pitt-Bradford ended the period with a 23-9 lead heading into the second period thanks to seven points from Rinfrette.

Behrend outscored the Panthers 14-5 in the second quarter to make it 28-23 at the half. After being held with just a field goal for 6:24 in the first period, the Lions returned the favor in the second quarter by holding the Panthers without a field goal over the final 6:36 to erase a 17-point deficit to just five.

Ali Goetz (Mars, PA/Mars) and Langhorst each registered five points in the third quarter to help Behrend stay in the game at 44-41 with 10 minutes left to play. Sadie Zielinski (Harborcreek, PA/Harbor Creek) sank a three-pointer to start the fourth quarter to even the score for the first time in the game.

Anna Colebert responded with a trey, before Rinfrette tallied 11 of the teams next 21 points to put the Panthers back to a double-digit lead for the win.

Emily Kinecki hit the boards for the Lions, pulling down a team-best 11 rebounds. Depsite being plagued by turnovers, Behrend held a 49-35 advantage in rebounds and went 15-for-23 from the charity stripe.

The Lions return to action on Wednesday against Hilbert. Game time is 6 p.m.