Cresson, Pa. -- Mount Aloysius women's basketball fell to the La Roche Redhawks this Wednesday, January 24th.
The Redhawks entered the contest atop the AMCC standings, carrying a perfect 10-0 record in conference play. Rising to the occasion, the Mounties opened aggressively, swarming defensively while finding the open shooter across the first quarter. The two teams stayed even during the first ten minutes, shooting similar percentages while finding trouble hitting the deep ball. La Roche earned the advantage at the charity stripe, shooting 6 more free throws than the Mounties in the first quarter, heading to a 26-16 advantage in attempts across the game. Freshman forward
Molly Kosmack (Homer City, Pa., Homer-Center) continued strong interior play, tallying a double double before the end of the first half. Finishing the game with 19 points and 14 rebounds, Kosmack would lead her team in both categories.
Mount Aloysius kept pace with their opponents until the second half of the second quarter, where a series of turnovers and missed shots would swing the score to a 10-point La Roche lead. This momentum continued into the second quarter, as the Redhawks found an 18 point lead with five minutes to play in the third. Refocusing, the Mounties battled back, bringing the score within single digits early in the fourth. The frenetic and physical play of the game wore on the Mounties, opening up opportunities for the second unit to make a mark. Guards
Molly Richards (Naples, Fla., Naples) and
Paris Dugan (Dover, Pa., Dover) would bring new energy from the bench, each posting a team high +/- of 11 for the game.
Guards
Annalyn Isaacs (Mars, Pa., Mars) and
Chloe Clemons (Kailua, Hawaii, Kalaheo) provided the Mounties some much needed spacing, combining for 5-11 shooting from deep. However, Mount Aloysius was unable to keep up with the Redhawks sharpshooting, as the visitors would post a team three point percentage of 42.1. A final Isaacs three pointer would put the final score in single digits as the Mounties fell 76-84.
Mount Aloysius hosts Penn State Behrend this Saturday, January 27th. The Lions enter the contest 11-6 overall and 9-1 in conference play, coming off a 98-53 win over Carlow.
