Middletown, PA – Penn State Harrisburg upset bid against conference foe Christopher Newport fell just short despite an excellent effort from the Lions on Senior Day. Senior Tessa Dolce recorded a double-double with 22 points and gathering 10 rebounds. Fellow Janel Brown also recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. The Lions also got gutsy efforts from Shanique Mattis, Laurel Amey, and Rachel Miller whom all played the entire 40 minutes.
Penn State Harrisburg 75 vs. Christopher Newport 78
Penn State Harrisburg Starters:
Shanique Mattis, Rachel Miller, Laurel Amey, Tessa Dolce, and Janel Brown
Christopher Newport Starters:
Tannor, Fancher, Daguilh, Thomas, and Maloney
Records:
Penn State Harrisburg: 6-17 Overall; 1-15 Conference
Christopher Newport: 21-2 Overall; 15-1 Conference
Inside The Stats:
Field Goals: Penn State Harrisburg (29-52) vs. Christopher Newport (25-74)
Assists: Harrisburg (16) vs. Christopher Newport (11)
Turnovers: Harrisburg (23) vs. Christopher Newport (10)
Rebounds: Harrisburg (35) vs. Christopher Newport (38)
How it Happened:
Harrisburg got off to a slow start falling behind by four in the opening minutes of the game. The Lions would respond going on am 11-0 run sparked by layup from Tessa Dolce and three-pointers from Rachel Miller and Janel Brown. Dolce added a couple of free throws to give the Blue & White a five point lead entering the second quarter. The Captains would close the gap and both teams began trading the lead back and forth. Jada Pettis would make a layup and hit a free throw late in the half to bring the Lions with in entering the break.
Brown would spark the Lions offense early in the third quarter with a deep three-pointer retaking the lead. Dolce would catch a pass from Laurel Amey and score a layup giving the Lions back the lead. Rachel Miller would hit a three-pointer on the next possession giving the Lions the lead. The Lions would close out the quarter on a 16-6 run taking control of the game. The Lions got three-pointers from Shanique Mattis and Janel Brown to build a ten-point advantage entering the fourth quarter. Both teams would play at high level in the final quarter trading important baskets. The Captains slowly cut into the Lions lead, and after foul trouble force Dolce and Brown from the game, regained the lead.
Impact Performance:
Tessa Dolce- 22 Points and 10 Rebounds
Janel Brown- 14 Points and 10 Rebounds
Shanique Mattis- 22 Points
Coach Thoughts:
Afterwards Head Coach Ross Patrick said, "Senior Leadership validates success from the top down. Today we had a tremendous heart-filled performance from our two seniors JB and Tessa. The consistency of emotional fortitude allowed us to handle the pressure of the CNU press and shared the ball to a season best 16 assists. We are thankful for all their contributions on and off the court. Not to be left out we had 3 guards play 40 minutes of Grit and Grind basketball. Proud of our team's efforts today!"
What's Next:
Penn State Harrisburg will continue to host when they play Marymount on February 14th at 6:00pm.