Lions fall to 6-7 in PSUAC with pair of week 9 losses

Hazleton, Pa. - The Nittany Lions came up short twice this week in PSUAC play as the women's basketball squad faced their first road contests on the new semester. Hazleton fell to Penn State Schuylkill on Tuesday a score of 83-51 before losing a close battle at Penn State Wilkes-Barre on Friday night, fading late in the contest 66-57. With the losses, Hazleton falls to 6-7 in conference play and sits in the five spot in the Eastern Division. 

Tuesday, January 28 - Penn State Hazleton 51, Penn State Schuylkill 83 - Final

The Lions got off to rough start in this Tuesday night's contest at Schuylkill with the home squad running out to an early 19 point advantage in the first quarter. Hazleton struggled to connect until late in the first period, and were forced into eight early turnovers that allowed the home team to pull ahead by a wide margin. The Lions battled in the middle periods, getting 17 points from second year Brianna Kennedy and three triples from first year Frankie Martinelli but it wasn't enough to keep pace with the Schuylkill squad who shot over 45 percent from the field in the game. The game got away from the Lions late as Schuylkill poured in 24, fourth quarter points to pull away from Hazleton for good. Kennedy finished the game as Hazleton's top scorer, notching 22 points and eight rebounds, with Martinelli adding 13 points respectively. 

Friday, January 31 - Penn State Hazleton 57, Penn State Wilkes-Barre 66 - Final

Hazleton was eager to bounce back after Tuesday's loss but Wilkes-Barre who came into the game one win shy of Hazleton in the standings was as eager to compete. Both teams would match each other's runs early in the contest until an 8-0 run by the Lions late in the first half capped by an old fashioned three point play by fourth year Azaria Johnson gave the Lions a five point advantage at halftime. The Lions continued their hot streak as the second half resumed, getting a triple from Martinelli and jumpers from Kennedy and second year Lillian Whitenight to boast a 10 point lead midway through the period But Wilkes-Barre would ratchet up the pressure and heat up at the offensive end.

After scoring just one point in the first four minutes of the half, Wilkes-Barre poured in 18 points in the final five minutes and change of the third quarter, turning over Hazleton six times in the process to take a three point advantage into the fourth quarter. Wilkes-Barre continued to tack on scores, increasing their lead over Hazleton to 10 with five minutes remaining in the game but the Lions weren't finished yet. Azaria Johnson willed her squad back into contention, scoring nine points late in the game making it a one possession contest with one minute remaining.but a turnover by Hazleton would cost them a chance to stay in the game. Wilkes-Barre converted five of five free throws down the stretch to finish off Hazleton by a nine point margin. 

Kennedy tallied up another monster effort in the loss for Hazleton, but foul trouble plagued the second year player late in the action. Kennedy led all scorers on the night with 28 points on 11-of-16 shooting from the field, adding a game-high 16 rebounds. Johnson's fourth quarter effort game the fourth year player 15 for the night with seven rebounds and three steals to round out the top performers for Hazleton. 

Just one game on the books for next week but it's a big one. Hazleton will look to keep pace in the playoff hunt when they welcome Penn State Mont Alto to the Dr. Thomas M. Caccese Gymnasium on Tuesday, February 4 for a 6:00 p.m. matchup.