CLYMER — Cambria Heights took a 4-2 lead late in the first quarter of its Heritage Conference girls’ basketball semifinal playoff game at Penns Manor. It was the only lead the Highlanders held on this night.

The lead evaporated as the result of 7-0 run that sparked the Comets in their 45-29 victory at Penns Manor High School on Tuesday.

Cambria Heights senior Kinley Rogal, who entered the game with a team-best 13.6 points per game average, managed only six points.

“(Give) credit to their defense. (Penns Manor coach) Jason (Miloser) always has them ready and (he) does a great job with defense. And they played a great defensive game. Kinley usually hits double digits and she didn’t tonight. They were all over her,” Highlanders coach Eric Thomas said.

Penns Manor plays Marion Center in the conference championship game at 6 p.m. Friday at Ed Fry Arena on the Indiana University of Pennsylvania campus. The schools split the regular season series between the conference’s power programs.

“We’re excited for that challenge. We know we have to execute defensively, we have to execute offensively,” Miloser said.

West Division champion Penns Manor threw a full-court press in the Highlanders’ direction. Thomas acknowledged his team’s struggles against the tenacious defense.

“It slowed us down, for sure. It kind of threw us out of our rhythm. (There were) some uncharacteristic passes from us. We weren’t backing each other up,” he said.

“That’s something we talk about all the time; being a versatile team. The press was something we were able to hop into. It changes, obviously, who we have on the floor. And I thought we did a great job defensively,” Miloser said.

Cambria Heights is currently ranked third in the District 6 Class 3A rankings and figures to compete in the district playoffs, which begin on Feb. 16.

“I think (we need to focus) on the little things, going back to the basics. We did rebound super-good tonight. We’re not a very big team. So we rely on quickness to the ball and boxing out. And we didn’t do a great job of doing that today. So it’s little things like that,” Thomas said.

“Defensively we always play scrappy and hard. I always like that. We’ve had moments throughout the season where scoring has been an issue, who are we getting the points from. We have a lot of good balance. But there are times when it seems as though we’re all at one time not hitting. You can’t have that. You have to have one or two players step up and score.”

Penns Manor freshman Adia Lieb led all scorers with 19 points. Junior Clara Henry added 11 points.

The Comets’ aggressive play factored in a disparity in free-throw opportunities. Penns Manor made 14 out of 18 at the line. Only six total personal fouls worked against the Comets, including zero in the fourth period.

Lilly Karlheim led the Highlanders with 12 points. She made all four free throws that were awarded to Cambria Heights.

“Tonight just wasn’t our game. When we did have open shots, we weren’t hitting them. And we rely on those,” Thomas said.

CAMBRIA HEIGHTS (29): Kirsch 0 0-0 0, J.Karlheim 3 0-0 7, L.Karlheim 3 4-4 12, Rogal 3 0-0 6, Bender 1 0-0 2, Adams 1 0-0 2. Totals – 11 4-4 29.

PENNS MANOR (45): Lieb 5 9-12 19, Bertolini 1 2-2 4, Bennett 0 0-0 0, Henry 4 2-2 11, Matko 1 1-2 4, Kuzemchak 2 0-0 4, Luther 1 0-0 3. Totals – 14 14-18 45.

SCORE BY QUARTERS:

Cambria Heights 4 7 6 12 – 29

Penns Manor 9 11 8 17 – 45

3-point field goals: Cambria Heights 3 (L.Karlheim 2, J.Karlhiem), Penns Manor 3 (Henry, Luther, Mattis).

Records: Cambria Heights (12-9), Penns Manor (20-2).

Officials: Keith Fry, Fred Glasser, Chris Garritano.