WEST CHESTER, Pa. – In its final game of the 2017 calendar year, the Kutztown University women's basketball team was bested by the West Chester University Golden Rams, 76-59, on Saturday afternoon.
 
For the Golden Rams, Porscha Speller continues to produce on both ends of the floor, leading the way with 25 points and 15 rebounds, her third double-double and sixth 20-plus point game of the season. As a team, WCU led for nearly 36-of-38 minutes, scoring 39 points off of 30 Maroon and Gold turnovers.
 
Kutztown has been plagued by slow starts of late, of which was certainly the case in this tilt with WCU holding a 16-8 advantage at the end of the first quarter. Out of the halftime break, it was again West Chester coming out with its foot on the gas pedal, increasing its nine-point halftime lead to 15 headed into the final quarter, a margin it would see to the finish line.
 
Alexis Smith (Dauphin, Pa./Central Dauphin) paced the KU effort, scoring a team-high 15 points in her first career start, securing her sixth game with double-digit points of her freshman campaign. Fellow frosh Rylee Derr (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) filled up the stat sheet in this affair, chipping in 11 points of her own and collecting team-highs with eight rebounds, six assists and two steals.
 
Gabbi Wright (Elkins Park, Pa./Cheltenham) went a perfect 5-for-5 from the field on her way to 12 points, adding two rebounds and one block in 35 minutes of action. Reigning Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East Freshman of the Year Sierra Taylor (Williamstown, N.J./Camden Catholic) returned to the hardwood for the first time since suffering an ankle injury versus Jefferson (Nov. 29), scoring five points in eight minutes.
 
Despite their slight shooting slump coming into this game, the Golden Bears shot it well against West Chester, going 7-of-19 from three and shooting at a 42 percent clip from the field. A combination of turnovers and rebounding proved to be the difference, however, as WCU won the turnover battle, 30-18, and held a 14-6 advantage on the offensive glass, scoring 11 second-chance points.
 
The loss for Kutztown drops its overall record to 7-5 and its PSAC mark to 2-4 while the Golden Rams improve to 6-4 overall and 3-3 in the PSAC. KU returns to the comforts of Keystone Arena, where it is 6-1 this season, for its next contest, ringing in the New Year with a date with the Bloomsburg University Huskies on Wednesday Jan. 3 at 5:30 p.m.