Mac's Edge Lions in Back and Forth Thriller

Mac's Edge Lions in Back and Forth Thriller

IMMACULATA, Pa – The Mighty Macs edged the Lions 72 to 65 after a thrilling game in Alumni Hall on Tuesday night, Nov. 26. The Blue & White were led by Kira Carter (Bronx, N.Y. / Milton Hershey) who recorded her second double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Junior guard Miranda Zeanchock (Carrolltown, Pa. / Cambria Heights) also netted 14 points for the Lions.

The game was highly contested right from the tip with the both teams trading baskets and the lead. Penn State Harrisburg seemed to take control at the eight-minute mark of the first after going on six point run to go up 28 to 21.

The run started after freshman guard Rebecca Bailey (Tobyhanna, Pa. / Notre Dame of East Stroudsburg) hit a lay-up. On the Mac's trip down the floor Sophomore Jasmine Yanich (Harrisburg, Pa. / Susquehanna Township) stepped out to take charge just inside the 3 point arc getting the Blue & White the possession back. The Lions then capitalized on the opportunity when Zeanchock found an open Carly Kovin (Levittown, Pa. / Pennsbury) for a lay-up.

Immaculata had an answer for the young Lions as they went on an eight point run to recapture a 29 to 28 lead with 3:30 to go in the first half. The comeback was in part thanks to excellent free throwing shooting by the Mac's as the team went 15 for 20 from the foul line in the first half.

Penn State Harrisburg was able to hold off Immaculata's run and trade buckets until halftime where the Blue & White took a 39 to 38 lead.

The second half began much as the first ended with teams matching each other score for score. The game was tied 45 to 45 with 13:09 to go in the half.

The Lions once again attempted to pull away fueled by back to back threes from freshman Molly Burke (Dunmore, Pa. / Dunmore) and Yanich. However the Mac's kept fighting, scoring back to back lay ups to cut the Blue & White's lead to 2.

Immaculata's Sara Smith, who led the home team with 28 points and 8 rebounds, drove the lane, got fouled, and completed the old fashioned three point play to tie the score at 56. The Lions answered right back with a Zeanchock three pointer to go up by three with six minutes left in the game.

The Mac's then went on a well-timed six point run to recapture the lead 64 to 61 with 3:16 remaining. The Lions tried to rally one more time behind a rebound and score from Carter and a jump shot from Zeanchock to cut the deficit to 1 point.

Immaculata's Brittany Merkle converted a pair of free throw to give the Mac's a 68 to 65 advantage with 58 seconds remaining. After a Zeanchock three was deflected the Mac's Smith scored a lay up to put the game out of reach for Lions.

After the game Coach Patrick said, "Today was a learning day for us. We put a couple good runs together, but just couldn't put enough of them together to come away with the score on our side at the end of the game."

The Lions will enjoy a short Thanksgiving Break before returning back to action at the Capital Union Building on Sunday December 1st against Penn State Altoona at 1:00 p.m.  All of the game's proceeds are being donated to the Radabaugh relief fund to help a local family that recently went through a tragic house fire causing serious injuries to the parents and losing most of their possessions in the fire.