Penn College women lose tough game to PSU Abington in United East semifinals
RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Penn College head coach Britni Mohney meets with her players during the United East semifinal game against PS Abington on Wednesday at Bardo Gym. PS Abington won 67-62.
RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Penn College's Gigi Parlante (12) looks for a shot past PS Abington's Tarianda Washington during the United East semifinal game on Wednesday at Bardo Gym. PS Abington won 67-62.
RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Penn College's Gigi Parlante (12) pulls in a rebound over the head of PS Abington's Amirah Hackney (5) during the United East semifinal game on Wednesday at Bardo Gym. PS Abington won 67-62.
RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Penn College's Breana Valentine (22) looks to shoot around PS Abington's Amirah Hackney (5) during the United East semifinal game on Wednesday at Bardo Gym. PS Abington won 67-62.
RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Penn College's Gigi Parlante (12) shoots over the head of PS Abington's Tarianda Washington (0) during the United East semifinal game on Wednesday at Bardo Gym. PS Abington won 67-62.
RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Penn College's Mia Patterson (12) brings the ball into the paint around PS Abington's Tarianda Washington (0) during the United East semifinal game on Wednesday at Bardo Gym. PS Abington won 67-62.
RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Penn College players react during the United East semifinal game against PS Abington on Wednesday at Bardo Gym. PS Abington won 67-62.
RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Penn College head coach Britni Mohney meets with her players during the United East semifinal game against PS Abington on Wednesday at Bardo Gym. PS Abington won 67-62.
RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Penn College's Gigi Parlante (12) looks for a shot past PS Abington's Tarianda Washington during the United East semifinal game on Wednesday at Bardo Gym. PS Abington won 67-62.
RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Penn College's Gigi Parlante (12) pulls in a rebound over the head of PS Abington's Amirah Hackney (5) during the United East semifinal game on Wednesday at Bardo Gym. PS Abington won 67-62.
RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Penn College's Breana Valentine (22) looks to shoot around PS Abington's Amirah Hackney (5) during the United East semifinal game on Wednesday at Bardo Gym. PS Abington won 67-62.
RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Penn College's Gigi Parlante (12) shoots over the head of PS Abington's Tarianda Washington (0) during the United East semifinal game on Wednesday at Bardo Gym. PS Abington won 67-62.
RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Penn College's Mia Patterson (12) brings the ball into the paint around PS Abington's Tarianda Washington (0) during the United East semifinal game on Wednesday at Bardo Gym. PS Abington won 67-62.
RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Penn College players react during the United East semifinal game against PS Abington on Wednesday at Bardo Gym. PS Abington won 67-62.
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Penn College fell short to Penn State Abington, 67-62, in the United East Conference women’s basketball semifinals on Wednesday evening in Bardo Gym.
The Wildcats finish their season with a program-best 20-7 record and reached the conference semifinal game for the first time in the NCAA-era. The Lions improved to 20-6 and will play St. Mary’s in the United East Championship game on Saturday.
Abington raced out to a 21-17 lead after a fast-paced first quarter. St. John Neumann graduate Gigi Parlante scored nine points, Lexi Troup scored five and Breana Valentine added three in the opening frame. RaeAnna Andreas pulled the Wildcats within two with the first bucket of the second quarter.
Loyalso k graduate Mia Patterson and Parlante hit back-to-back layups to tie the score at 23-23 with 7:32 before the half.
Valentine gave the Wildcats a brief 29-28 lead with just over two minutes to go, but three-straight Abington layups gave the Lions a 34-29 lead at the break.
Abington remained ahead through the third quarter and built its largest lead of the night, 54-42, with a layup at the end of the third quarter.
The Wildcats started the fourth frame with a 10-2 run to pull within striking distance of the Lions as Parlante scored six of the first eight points while Valentine drained a pair of free throws and dished an assist to Patterson to cut the deficit to 56-52 with 7:01. Later, Patterson got the Wildcats within three, 60-63, with 1:24 remaining, but the Wildcats hit just one more basket in the final minute.
Parlante dropped a game-high 28 points - one off of her career-best - and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead the Wildcats. Patterson scored 12 points and six rebounds while Breana Valentine added 11 points and nine assists.
Three Lions reached double-digit scoring, led by Amirah Hackney’s 19 points and a 16-point, 13-rebound double-double by Tarianda Washington. Abington outscored Penn College, 21-10 on turnovers and held a 13-4 advantage on second chance points.