Middletown, Pa. – The Penn State Harrisburg women's basketball team used a full team effort with three players scoring in double digits and one player with nine on their way to beating the Southern Virginia Knights 59-40.
Both teams were hungry to come out with a win. The Lions had not seen a win since the last time they played the Knights and SVU had not gotten a win since beating Wesley 54-51 on January 25th. Needless to say both teams wanted this one.
The Lions wasted no time showing their home fans as well as the returning alumni that today's game was going to be a Harrisburg win. The women started the game off with a 12-3 run that was capped off with a Kaitlyn Carmo (Palmyra, Pa. / Palmyra) jumper.
Freshman Rebecca Bailey (Tobyhanna, Pa. / Norte Dame of East Stroudsburg) scored four of her team high 15 points during a two minute span that took the Blue and White's lead to 14 with under five minutes to play in the half. The Knights tried to find a weakness in Harrisburg's game, but the home squad's well rounded effort today refused to be disrupted by anything SVU threw at them.
As the second half got started, the Knight's had hoped to regroup and start working down the deficit. Thankfully for the Lions, anytime time the Knights got it under double digits, Harrisburg responded back immediately to keep a comfortable lead. Whether it was Bailey driving to the basket, Carmo draining jumpers, or Jasmine Yanich (Harrisburg, Pa. / Susquehanna) hitting a three pointer; the Lions had it coming from every option.
Harrisburg's bench also was on the top of their game and was a big part of the team win that came about today. Katie Schwenk (lykens, Pa. / Upper Dauphin) hit a timely three pointer towards the end of the game; Paulette Williams (Harrisburg, Pa. / Susquehanna Township) was solid on both sides of the court, and Carly Kovin (Levittown, Pa. / Pennsbury) also added rebounds and scores.
The Lions claimed the victory in the end 59-40. It was a very important win for Harrisburg who ended their eight game losing streak and hope to take the momentum from the win into their final four games. Harrisburg stays at home this Wednesday February 12th at 6:00 p.m. facing off against Marymount (Va.) at the Capital Union Building.