GA Women's Hoops Edged Out for the First Time Since Winter Break

Hazleton, Pa. - For the first time since December 11th, the Penn State Greater Allegheny's women's basketball team saw narrow defeat, as Penn State Hazleton bumped them from a seven game winning streak, 65-61.

Junior guard Shelby Bendick (White Oak, Pa./McKeesport Area) was the first to answer toward the GA tally with a jumper. Senior point guard Taylor Fulton (Duquesne, Pa./West Mifflin) was not far behind, as she also managed a jumper. Hazleton began to pull away over the course of the next three minutes before junior guard Nakayla Layne (Pittsburgh, Pa./Taylor Allderdice) knocked down a lay-up.

Fulton next answered with a lay-up and an extra chance at the free-throw line, 16-11 Hazleton. Junior power forward Christina Floyd (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Neumann-Goretti) added three more to the tally before Layne dropped three jumpshots to bring the gap within two. Fulton hammered down a trey before Greater Allegheny was held silent while Hazleton swelled on. Bendick was able to lock down a jumper before the game was sent into halftime, GA down 34-25.

Floyd was the first to boost to Greater Allegheny in the new half, as the power forward dropped four points within the first three minutes of action. Freshman Aaquila Youngblood (Pittsburgh, Pa./Obama Academy) made her presence known, as the 6-1 power forward put up two jumpers, Hazleton up 40-33. Three minutes passed as Hazleton fought on before Layne earned a jumper. Fulton dropped seven consecutive to bring the game to a 55-42 tally with eight minutes to play. Floyd registered two three-pointers to bridge the gap at seven.

Freshman guard Tra-Esha Carswell (Homestead, Pa./Steel Valley) notched a lay-up as Fulton and Bendick continued to add to the score. Fulton flexed to knock down another three-pointer with just a minute to play. Freshman forward Tenisha Gibson (Pittsburgh, Pa./Obama Academy) put up a point from the charity stripe as Fulton lit up the floor with a trey, closing regulation with Hazleton ahead, 65-61.

Fulton contributed 23 points, five rebounds, five steals and five assists to the Greater Allegheny overturn. Floyd put up 13 points alongside her 18 boards, boosting GA's efforts. Youngblood pulled down 13 rebounds alongside her four points added. 

As a team, Greater Allegheny turned 18 Hazleton turnovers into 19 visitor points. GA also out-rebounded Hazleton 55-52 while going 45.5% (5-of-11) from the free-throw line.

The Penn State Greater Allegheny women's basketball squad (11-8, 8-3) takes a bit of a rest, as they do not see action again until Friday. Penn State Lehigh Valley travels to Wunderley Gymnasium as the women are set for Penn State University Athletic Conference tip-off at 6 p.m.