KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Senior forward Kelsey Watson (Collegeville, Pa./Methacton) and senior guard Jenna Altomare (Pennsylvania Furnace, Pa./State College Area) of the Kutztown University women's basketball team both achieved impressive milestones on Sunday afternoon as the Golden Bears fell to Slippery Rock, 72-62, in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) matchup inside Keystone Arena.
Despite the loss, Watson became the 16th player in KU history to score 1,000 career points, while Altomare tied her school-record with seven made 3-pointers and broke KU records with 27 field goal attempts and 22 3-point attempts. Her 22 3-point attempts in a game are the third-most in PSAC history.
Kutztown (1-3, 0-2 PSAC) started off strong on the defensive end as it held Slippery Rock (3-1, 1-1) to just 13 points in the opening quarter and led by one heading into the second.
The Rock started off the second quarter with a 12-2 run and led 25-16 at the 5:24 mark in the frame. KU managed to go back-and-forth with Slippery Rock for the rest of the quarter and went into the half trailing by just five points, 34-29.
The Golden Bears came out firing in the third quarter, scoring the first four points of the frame. Watson scored her 1,000th career-point at the 4:31 mark in the quarter on a layup, becoming just the 16th player in school history to achieve the impressive milestone. KU outscored Slippery Rock, 21-13, in the third and took a 50-47 lead into the final quarter.
The final quarter was a back-and-forth battle most of the way and KU trailed by just three, 62-59, with 3:22 remaining. Unfortunately for the Golden Bears, they ran out of time and Slippery Rock iced the game at the free-throw line, holding on for a 72-65 win.
Altomare led Kutztown in scoring with 23 points, including her school-record-tying seven 3-pointers, in 36 minutes. She extended her streak of consecutive games with a 3-pointer to 30.
Watson played an efficient game, posting 13 points (6-11 FG), nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks. She moved into ninth all-time in KU history with 76 career blocks.
Alex Heck (Willow Grove, Pa./Archbishop Wood (Philadelphia U.)) posted seven points, six rebounds, three assists and four steals in the setback, while freshman Sierra Taylor (Williamstown, N.J./Camden Catholic) recorded eight points and three assists. Kalee Fuegel (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) notched four points, four rebounds and four assists in a career-high 35 minutes.
Slippery Rock was led by Lexi Carpenter, who posted a near triple-double with 22 points, nine rebounds, nine assists and four blocks. Mallory Heinle recorded a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds.
The Rock held significant edges over the Golden Bears in points in the paint (34-16) and second-chance points (16-8).
KU returns to action on Thursday, Nov. 24, at 12 p.m. for a Thanksgiving showdown versus St. Edward's in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in the first day of the Puerto Rico Clasico. It will also face Washburn on Friday, Nov. 25, at 10 a.m. on day two of the event.
