ERIE, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend women's basketball team held on late on Friday night to defeat the visiting Fredonia Blue Devils in the 2018-19 season opener for both teams.

Penn State Behrend will now face Mt. Union tomorrow in the Behrend Tip-Off Tournament championship game at 3 p.m.  Mt. Union topped Waynesburg 76-40 in the second game of the PSB Tip-Off Tournament.

Score: Penn State Behrend 61, Fredonia 57

Records: Penn State Behrend (1-0), Fredonia (0-1)

Key Moments:

* The Behrend Lions came out and cranked up the pressure defensively in the opening quarter, forcing 10 Blue Devil turnovers.  For the game, Behrend forced 26 turnovers.
* Penn State Behrend used a second quarter push to build a lead heading into halftime.  PSB outscored Fredonia 21-13 in the second period and lead 33-24 at the intermission.
* Fredonia managed to break Behrend's pressure in the second half to trim PSB's lead.
* With the game tied 53-53 with 1:05 left to play in the game, Mia Cuccaro (Clinton, PA/Oakland Catholic) converted one of two free throws, however off the missed attempt, Alanna Dibble (Lakewood, NY/Southwestern) grabbed a key offensive rebound and laid the ball back in to put Behrend up 56-53.
* Penn State Behrend had 22 second chance points in the win.
* The Behrend Lions placed three players in double figures.  Caitlin Carnuche (New Castle, PA/Mohawk) led the team with 14 points.  She added eight rebounds and four steals. Alanna Dibble finished with 10 points and eight rebounds.  Kourtney Beamesderfer (Rebersburg, PA/Penns Valley) ended the game with 11 points, nine rebounds and three assists.
* Behrend held a slight advantage on the boards, outrebounding Fredonia 53-49.

Up Next:

* The Behrend Lions will take on the Purple Raiders in tomorrow's championship game at 3 p.m.