Zielinski Leads Behrend Past D'Youville

ERIE, Pa. – Senior guard Sadie Zielinski (Erie, PA/Harbor Creek) scored a career-high 23 points on 5-for-8 shooting from behind the arc to lead the Penn State Behrend women's basketball team past D'Youville 71-52 in Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) action on Wednesday night in the Junker Center.

Zielinski drained five of the Lions (8-10, 7-4 AMCC) eight triples, the most in a game this season, to avenge a 59-51 loss nearly a month ago to the Spartans (6-11, 4-7 AMCC).

Heidi Langhorst (Corapolis, PA/Our Lady of the Sacred Heart) added 11 points and three blocks, while Katie Chess (Bethel Park, PA/Bethel Park) tallied 10 points and six rebounds in the win.

D'Youville's leading scorer Jean-Ann Korona stayed on par with 24 points and nine rebounds, going 9-for-13 from the charity stripe.

After a close first quarter that spotted Behrend with a three-point advantage, Zielinski tallied seven of her game high in the second period to help the Lions take a 44-26 lead. Nicole Boyer (Blairsville, PA/Blairsville) started the scoring with a three-pointer and Zielinski followed her second triple of the night and a jumper for Behrend's first double-digit lead at 29-18.

Erika Woll (Erie, PA/Mercyhurst) and Ali Goetz (Mars, PA/Mars) contributed to the lone-range shooting with a three-pointer each to go ahead 18 points by halftime. The Lions held D'Youville to just four field goals in the second quarter to take the commanding lead that would not relinquish.

 The Spartans held a slight 11-9 scoring advantage in the third quarter, but Langhorst worked both sides of the ball with the blocks and then pulling down the rebounds to keep Behrend out front for the remainder of the game.

D'Youville tallied eight of its 15 points in the first 3:10 of the fourth quarter and then Lions defense did not allow the Spartans to score a field goal for the final 6:50 of the game.

Woll recorded nine points, four steals, three assists and three rebounds.

As a team, Behrend went 13-for-15 from the charity stripe.

The Lions return to action on Saturday at Mt. Aloysius. Game time is 1 p.m.