Mont Alto Keeps Playoff Hopes Alive with Home Victory over PSU Schuylkill

By: Frank Maira, Assistant Director of Athletics/Sports Information Director

MONT ALTO, Pa. – The Penn State Mont Alto women's basketball team used an outstanding first quarter to establish a lead that it never relinquished in a 65-54 win over PSU Schuylkill on Tuesday. Mont Alto kept its playoff hopes alive improving to 5-10 overall and 2-8 within the PSUAC conference.

Inside the Box Score

• Mariah Martin (Shippensburg, Pa. / Shippensburg) nearly recorded another double-double but came up a rebound shy at 20 points and nine boards. Jesime Freet (Carlisle, Pa. / Carlisle) also had a great game within the post chipping in 14 points and seven rebounds.
• Mont Alto led from start to finish for the first time at home this season and had advantages in nearly every statistical category over Schuylkill. PSUMA shot 39.7% from the floor and connected on 4-of-14 shots from downtown. They outrebounded Penn State Schuylkill by a 44-37 margin.
• Kara Newell (Shippensburg, Pa. / Shippensburg) stuffed the stat sheet for the Nittany Lions totaling 12 points, seven assists, six rebounds and two steals.
• Schuylkill had three players finish with 10 or more points including Abriana Wills who netted a team-best 14 points.

How it Happened

• Mont Alto came out shooting and hit an early trey, while scoring two more field goals to lead 7-0 and force a Schuylkill timeout just 2:24 into the game. The break did little to slow PSUMA as they built a 15-0 lead after a Kara Newell (Shippensburg, Pa. / Shippensburg) steal and layup.  Mont Alto went on another 5-0 run to close the quarter that was capped by a Madison Bishop (Newville, Pa. / Big Spring) 3-pointer and they led Schuylkill, 20-6.
• Penn State Schuylkill chipped away at the deficit and cut it to 22-15, but Mont Alto finished the half on a 14-4 run that saw them go into the break with a 36-19 lead.
• The third quarter saw Mont Alto take its largest lead at 49-32 after a 7-0 scoring spurt that ended with a Mariah Martin (Shippensburg, Pa. / Shippensburg) layup.
• The visitors could never get deficit to single digits, closing to 59-49 with just over two minutes remaining. Mont Alto took care of business down the stretch for a 65-54 win.

Mont Alto will look to continue rolling when they square off with Penn State Beaver on the road on Saturday. Tip-off is slated for 1 p.m.