Behrend Scores Dominant Conference Opening Win Over Bobcats

ERIE, Pa. - The Penn State Behrend women's basketball team opened Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) action Saturday with a convincing 93-62 victory over the Pitt-Greensburg Bobcats at the Junker Center.

Score: Penn State Behrend 93 Pitt-Greensburg 62
Records: Penn State Behrend (4-4, 1-0 AMCC) Pitt Greensburg (1-7, 0-2 AMCC)

Key Moments:

* The Lions jumped to a 29-12 lead after a quarter. Morgan Altavilla (Pittsburgh, PA/Baldwin) (seven) combined with Rachel Majewski  (Erie, PA/Villa Maria Academy) (five) and Julia Balaski (Mercer, PA/Mercer) (five) for 17 of the 29 points  
* The lead grew to 56-21 at halftime. Altavila (13) and Balaski (12) paced the attack. The Lions shot 54.5% from the floor in the first 20 minutes and outrebounded Pitt-Greensburg 27-19. Behrend also forced 17 Bobcat turnovers
* The Lions stretched their lead to 44 (75-31) with a 19-10 margin in the third. Balaski tied her career high in points (14) with a bucket in the last half minute of the quarter
* Penn State Behrend cleared its bench in the final stanza and was outscored 31-18 for the final margin
* Balaski led a balanced offense with 14 points. Other double-digit scorers were Altavilla (13), Alaina Fabin (Indiana, PA/Homer Center) (12) and Rachel Kaulis (McKean, PA/General McLane)(10).
* Pitt-Greensburg finished with four players in double digits led by Tiana Moracco with a game-high 19
* 13 of 15 Behrend players, who saw action, scored
* Freshmen Emma Marstellar (Sandy Lake, PA/Lakeview) (eight) and Ella Garrity (two) scored their first collegiate points, while senior Amber Carr (Girard, PA/Girard) (four) snagged her first points of the season. Freshman Jillian Soder (Erie, PA/Fort LeBouef) hit her first career triple
* As a team, the Lions recorded a season high 93 points

Up Next:

* The Lions will travel to La Roche this Wednesday at 7 p.m. for an important AMCC contest between two of the projected top teams in the conference. The next home contest will be Saturday, December 14, a non-conference tilt against Keuka at 1 pm.