by Casey Burinskas

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Penn State Altoona women's basketball hit the road for a non-conference matchup on Monday night in the Bardo Gymnasium, where the Lions saw a double-digit lead vanish in a 68-61 loss to Penn College.

Penn State Altoona (2-2) led by 10 points, 37-27, at halftime, thanks to a 21-10 scoring advantage during the second quarter. But Penn College (5-0) stormed back to win, outscoring the Lions 41-24 during the second half.

Lanie Wilt (Altoona, PA/Altoona) scored a team-high 20 points for Penn State Altoona while adding nine rebounds, three assists, and a block, and Jaidyn McCracken (Bellwood, PA/Bellwood-Antis) and Avana Sayles (Venetia, PA/Peters Township) each recorded a double-double. McCracken finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds to go along with four assists and a pair of steals, and Sayles had 12 points and 10 boards with six helpers, three steals, and two blocks.

Halle Kuzminski (Warren, PA/Warren) contributed six rebounds, and Allyana Stephens (Johnstown, PA/Bishop McCort) chipped in five points off the bench.

Penn College got a game-high 23 points from Breana Valentine, and the Wildcats' Gigi Parlante brought 18 points and 10 rebounds off the bench.

Altoona had a slow start to the first quarter, falling behind 4-0 after early turnovers and missed shots allowed Penn College to control the opening minutes. The Lions broke through when McCracken buried a three-pointer at 7:43, narrowing the gap to 4-3 and giving Altoona its first spark. Shortly after, Wilt scored on a layup off a McCracken offensive rebound and assist, pushing the Lions ahead 5-4. Sayles made a strong impact midway through the quarter, grabbing multiple rebounds on one possession before earning a shooting foul, where she knocked down both free throws to extend the lead to 7-4. Sayles also added a key block on the defensive end to keep Altoona in rhythm. Penn College responded with a three to tie the game, but Wilt answered right back with a three of her own at 4:19 to give Altoona a 10-7 lead. The Wildcats regained momentum late in the quarter, taking advantage of rebound opportunities to pull ahead 17-14. Altoona stayed within striking distance, and Addi Schirato (Salix, PA/Forest Hills) provided a strong finish to the period by driving in for a layup with nine seconds remaining, trimming the Penn College lead to 17-16 at the end of the first quarter.

The Lions came out in the second quarter with momentum when Schirato pulled down a rebound that set up a Wilt three-pointer, putting the Lions ahead 19-17. Penn College responded with layups to regain the lead, but Altoona's strong defense, led by McCracken and Sayles, prevented the Wildcats from extending it. Sayles hit a free throw to bring the Lions within one, and McCracken soon followed with a three-pointer to tie the game at 23-23. From there, Wilt caught fire, draining two more threes to push Altoona ahead 31-25. In the final minute, Sayles secured a rebound and found Wilt for a layup. Wilt then added another basket just before the buzzer, helping Penn State Altoona close the quarter and take a 37-27 lead into halftime.

Altoona opened the third quarter slowly, missing several early shots while Penn College chipped away at the lead. Sayles briefly steadied the Lions with a jumper, but the Wildcats continued to push ahead, narrowing the Lions' lead to 39-34. McCracken answered with a jumper, but Penn College stayed close, eventually pulling to within one at 43-42. A big moment came when McCracken hit a three on an assist from Sayles, pushing the Lions ahead 46-42. Penn College quickly responded with three of their own, but Sayles added another jumper to hold the lead at 48-45. Multiple offensive rebounds from Kuzminski helped extend a possession late, and she added a free throw to make it 49-45. Penn College closed the gap again at the line, trimming the score to 49-47 before hitting one more free throw in the closing seconds to make it 49-48. Despite the Wildcats' push, Altoona held onto the lead heading into the fourth.

The Lions came out of the break with energy, quickly forcing a turnover and generating points. Kuzminski's steal early in the quarter led to Sayles hitting a jumper, putting the lead at 51-48. Penn College responded with a combination of aggressive drives and layups, regaining the lead for the first time since the early stages of the game. Altoona worked hard for some points, with offensive rebounds creating multiple scoring opportunities, though many shots rimmed out, allowing the Wildcats to maintain control. Three-pointers from Stephens and McCracken helped narrow the gap to 66-61, keeping the win within reach late in the period. However, Penn College took advantage of its free throw opportunities with consistent makes to limit Altoona's comeback chances. Despite the Lions' late push, Penn College's offense kept strong and was able to take away a 68-61 win. 

Next up, the women's basketball team will travel to take on non-conference opponent Alfred University on Friday, November 21 at 5 p.m.