Middletown, PA –The Penn State Harrisburg women's basketball team faced off against the St Mary's (Md.) Seahawks Saturday January 31st at the Capital Union Building. Both teams were in need of a win as the playoff picture is starting to take shape and needed an additional overtime period to find a winner.
The play was fast paced from the tip-off. The visiting Seahawks took an early edge and were able to get as much as a five point lead through the start of the game. At the 10:08 mark the Lions fought back and claimed their first lead of the game 16-15 with the help of Jasmine Yanich (Harrisburg, Pa. / Susquehanna Township) who scored eight first half points. St. Mary's finished the second half off strong and were able to go up 33-28 at the end of the first.
Harrisburg knew they had to leave everything on the floor today and started the second half with an intensity we had not seen in the first. The Lions slowly worked away the deficit that had been as much as 11 in the first half and were able to build up a five point lead 50-45 with 8:11 to play after a Kate Carmo (Palmyra, Pa / Palmyra Area) jumper.
As the clock wound down, the game stayed within one possession for most of the final minutes. As the game came to a close, the Blue and White's Kiara Carter (Bronx, NY. / Milton Hershey)was fouled with just 14 seconds to play down by two. She drained the first of two from the charity stripe, but missed the rim on the second leaving the Lions down 58-57. Harrisburg fouled quickly, setting up a one and one for the visitors who missed the first giving Harrisburg one final possession. After an exciting battle in the lane, Carter was fouled with .7 seconds, giving her two free throws and a chance to win it from the line. She again hit her first to tie the game and missed the second sending the game to overtime.
Overtime played out as most of the game had. Back and forth scoring through an exciting five additional minutes as we waited for the final possession the game would eventually come down too. St. Mary's hit two free throws with eight seconds to play to go up by three over the Lions. Unfortunately on Harrisburg's final possession they used up most of the clock before calling a timeout with 1.6 to play and then failed to produce a shot after the inbound play, ending the game in favor of St. Mary's 67-64.
The Lions will need to win get a winning streak going soon if they hope to have a chance to extend their season. The Blue and White will host Frostburg St. this upcoming Wednesday night at 6:00 pm.