Balanced Blue Devils edge Behrend
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CONTACT: Jerry Reilly,
Sports Information Director
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Women's basketball
FREDONIA STATE 84, PENN STATE BEHREND 83
ERIE, Pa. -- Junior guard Caroline Hourihan (Buffalo/Nardin) sank two free throws with 11 seconds remaining to push Fredonia State past Penn State Behrend, 84-83, Friday night in the first game of the Behrend Tip-Off Tournament.
Senior forward Merissa Gaeta (Kirkwood/Windsor) led the way with 20 points and seven rebounds, one of four Blue Devils (1-1) scoring in double figures. Senior forward Katie Landy (Jamestown) added 17 points, Hourihan 14, and freshman Kristina Kuscht (Webster/Webster Schroeder) added 10. Sophomore guard Nicole Calbi (Olean) was the top playmaker with five assists.
The Blue Devils made eight of their first nine shots to take leads of 13-0 and 20-6 after nailing eight of their first nine shots. Behrend battled back to take its first lead, on a pair of free-throws by Taylor Lotis with :56 left in the first half. Hourihan connected on a lay-in in the closing seconds to provide the Blue Devils with a 48-47 lead at the break.
The second half had 17 lead changes. In the closing minutes, Behrend's Haley Hanson hit one-of-two at the line to give Behrend an 83-81 lead. The Blue Devils closed out the scoring making three of four at the line and 16 of 20 overall. They also shot 49 percent from the floor.
The Blue Devils advance to the Tip-Off championship game 3 p.m. Saturday, when they will play Kenyon, a 59-52 overtime winner over Grove City in the second game Friday.