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By Matt Michelone
For the Mirror
CRESSON -- After what was a cold start to the season in non-conference play, the Penn State Altoona women's basketball team has started to find itself.
"It's them playing together," Penn State Altoona coach Halee Adams said of her team's recent run. "We were a new team in the beginning, and they were learning each other's playing styles. They play off each other's strengths, and they like each other. I'm glad they're having fun."
Wednesday night they endured a tale of two halves, but the Lady Lions survived quite the battle with Mount Aloysius, 64-61, to win their fifth straight game in Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference action at the Mount Aloysius College Athletic Convocation and Wellness Center.
The Lady Lions took early control of the game, jumping out to a 20-5 run, powered by an Emma Kitko trifecta. The Moshannon Valley graduate led her team with 24 points, shooting 7-for-14 from the field and 4-for-5 from the line while grabbing seven rebounds.
"She comes off the bench and gives us a hit off the bench," Adams said. "She's been great. She misses a shot, she doesn't care, she makes the next one, and getting to that mentally strong point, she's there. I rely on her so much."
Penn State Altoona took a 33-22 lead heading into the half.
China Jenkins, though, made sure the Lady Mounties kept things close as she came up with a layup to help give the home team the lead at 48-45 late in the fourth quarter. She led all scorers with 30 points, going 12-for-22 from the field with 14 rebounds.
Mount Aloysius has a lot of youth on its roster -- carrying no one older than a sophomore. Coach Brian Giesler, even in defeat, saw reason to believe in his squad's growth.
"I hope most of the people watching that game can see we're starting to make plays," he said. "I understand it's not coming out in wins and losses. We're starting to make those plays that good teams start to make."
The game finished off like a championship fight as Kitko drew the plus one to help tie the game at 54, sending it to the extra session where the Lady Lions outscored their opponent, 10-7, for the win.
Adams credited the Mountie defense for keeping the pressure on her squad.
"We have some good guard shooters, and I thought they did a good job of getting out on them and making us do things that we aren't typically used to doing," she said. "Keeping their heads, the whole game, that's what ultimately won us that game."
Penn State Altoona is at Penn State Behrend on Saturday at 4 p.m. The Mounties are at Alfred State for a 4 p.m. game.
PENN STATE ALTOONA (8-7): Bisignani 2-6 1-4 6, Burns 5-16 2-2 13, Huston 0-9 1-4 1, Munson 1-3 2-3 4, Sayles 6-11 1-1 13, Kitko 7-14 4-5 24, Figard 0-2 0-0 0, McCracken 0-4 3-4 3. Totals: 21-65 14-23 64.
MOUNT ALOYSIUS (1-15): Clemons 4-12 0-0 12, Hal. Rittenhouse 0-0 0-0 0, Han. Rittenhouse 0-2 0-0 0, Mercier 4-10 0-1 8, Drutarosky 1-6 1-2 4, Jenkins 12-22 6-9 30, Richards 2-7 2-4 7, Dugan 0-2 0-0 0, Whalen 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 23-61 6-20 61.
SCORE BY QUARTER
PSU Altoona 20 13 5 16 10 - 64
Mount Aloysius 9 13 12 20 7 - 61
3-point goals - Penn State Altoona 8-30 (Burns 1-6, Kitko 6-11, Bisignani 1-2, McCracken 0-3, Huston 0-8); Mount Aloysius 6-20 (Clemons 4-8, Drutarosky 1-2, Mercier 0-4, Richards 1-4). Assists - Penn State Altoona 15 (Huston 7); Mount Aloysius 13 (Clemons, Richards 3). Rebounds - Penn State Altoona 44 (Munson 11); Mount Aloysius 14 (Jenkins). Total Fouls - Penn State Altoona 17, Mount Aloyisus 22. Technical Fouls - None.