By: Frank Maira, Assistant Director of Athletics/Sports Information Director
MONT ALTO, Pa. – The Penn State Mont Alto women's basketball team played a close game on Saturday before PSU Fayette had the better fourth quarter in the 76-66 win for the visitors. Mont Alto falls to 1-6 overall and 0-5 within the conference.
Mont Alto started quick and jumped out to a 4-0 lead after a Madison Bishop (Newville, Pa. / Big Spring) jumper. After falling behind 8-7, Mont Alto rallied towards the end of the first quarter and held a four point lead (22-18).
Coast to coast action was featured for the majority of the second quarter. The biggest margin between the two schools occurred when Meagan Smith (Littlestown, Pa. / Littlestown Area) hit a runner in the paint that made it 33-28. With 3:12 remaining in the half, turnovers plagued both sides and they were sent to the free throw line. Fayette registered the lead again with 5.9 seconds remaining when Carrissa Cyphert hit a pair from the charity stripe as her team went into halftime with the 36-35 lead.
Fayette opened the third quarter on a 6-0 run to take a 42-35 lead before PSUMA rattled off eight-straight that was capped off by a pair of Mariah Martin (Shippensburg, Pa. / Shippensburg) free throws and gave them the 43-42 lead. The teams once again traded baskets for the remainder of the quarter and the teams were deadlocked at 48 points apiece.
PSUMA scored the first bucket of the final period on a nice give and go between Kara Newell (Shippensburg, Pa. / Shippensburg) and Martin that was finished on a layup. The teams ramped up the excitement with another four lead changes during the next seven minutes. Fayette took the 63-61 lead at the 2:53 mark and never looked back closing the game on a 13-5 run.
Each team earned every bucket with Mont Alto out-shooting the visitors with a 32.9 percent mark from the field. Mariah Martin (Shippensburg, Pa. / Shippensburg) recorded another double-double with 24 points and 16 rebounds, which was a season-best so far. Taylor McCormick led all scorers for Fayette pouring in 28 points including 12 makes from the free throw line.
Penn State Mont Alto will travel to PSU Scranton on Tuesday, December 10 for their next game. Tip-off is slated for 6 p.m.
