Lions Start Fast at the Buhl Club, Mont Alto Pulls Away Late in 71-57 Result
The Penn State Shenango Women's Basketball team came out sharp at the Buhl Club on Saturday, building an early lead and battling through four quarters, but ultimately fell 71-57 to Penn State Mont Alto. Shenango led after the first quarter, 17-13, and took a 33-26 advantage into halftime before Mont Alto's 26-point third quarter flipped the game's momentum.
Shenango's opening stretch set the tone with aggressive rebounding and ball movement. Alyssa Crankfield made an immediate impact off the bench, cleaning up an offensive rebound for a putback and then helping create a three for Kayla Owen. Gabrielle King was active on both ends early, stepping in with rebounds and free throws, while Shenango's defense forced empty possessions and kept Mont Alto from finding rhythm in the first half. The Lions' composure and effort showed on the scoreboard as they controlled the pace through the first 20 minutes.
Mont Alto surged coming out of the break, and Shenango answered with hustle and timely plays. Kylie Krupp caught fire in the third quarter, knocking down multiple threes—including back-to-back makes late in the period—to keep the Lions within striking distance. Shenango also created extra chances on the glass, with offensive rebounds from Bri Krenzer and Crankfield helping extend possessions and generate late-quarter free throws that cut the margin to 52-48 heading into the fourth.
In the final quarter, Shenango continued to compete, but Mont Alto's scoring and trips to the line made it tough to close the gap. Kimora Roberts finished an assisted layup early in the fourth, and Samair Colon added a bucket to keep the Lions pushing. Defensively, King delivered a standout performance at the rim, recording three blocks and consistently challenging shots in the paint. Shenango's energy never dipped, and the Lions kept fighting until the final horn.
Shenango leaders:
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Alyssa Crankfield: 17 points, 9 rebounds (6-6 FT)
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Kylie Krupp: 16 points (4 threes), 4 assists, 3 steals
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Gabrielle King: 9 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks
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Kimora Roberts: 10 points, 7 rebounds