PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Rylee Derr (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) of the Kutztown University women's basketball team reached a personal milestone Tuesday night, eclipsing the 1,000-point mark in her career, as the junior guard also helped seal a victory with two made shots from the free-throw line in the waning seconds of a 65-61 win at Jefferson University in a non-conference game at the Gallagher Center in Philadelphia.
 
The Golden Bears (1-3 overall) have led at halftime all four games so far this season, but this one Tuesday night, they were able to see it through for the victory. KU also broke its road woes as it has played its first four games of the 2019 campaign away from home.
 
Derr finished with a season-high 22 points, raising her career scoring to 1,005 points. She also went 5-for-8 from three-point range, sinking more than half of her season output for made three's (8) entering the game. Derr also contributed six rebounds and five assists.
 
Classmate Zoe Zerman (Jonestown, Pa./Northern Lebanon), back in action since the season-opener, tallied double-figures in points for the first time this season, ending with 12. She also finished with a career-best seven rebounds to pace KU on the glass.
 
Brianna Tarabocchia (Woodcliff Lake, N.J./Northern Valley Regional) had nine points and tied a season-high with five rebounds, Casey Remolde (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) recorded eight points and five rebounds, and Annie Whalen (Ivyland, Pa./Archbishop Wood) totaled eight points and two rebounds.
 
Kutztown outscored the Rams (2-3) by just one point each of the first two quarters and led 38-36 at halftime, the fourth game this season KU has led at halftime. But Jefferson shot 45.5-percent (5-for-11) in the third quarter, its highest percentage of any quarter, to go ahead 51-49 heading into the final quarter.
 
But the Maroon and Gold stepped up on both ends of the floor, and weren't going to be denied their first victory of the young season. Trailing 55-51 with 6:15 remaining, KU went on an 8-0 run through the next 2:22, including three-pointers by Derr and Whalen and a Derr layup, to take a four-point lead, 59-55, and 3:53 to go on the clock.
 
Jefferson would tie the score at 59-all before Zerman delivered a go-ahead three with 1:24 left and Kutztown used its defense and some free-throws to hang on for the victory.
 
Karen Lapkiewicz (Southampton, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) had two points and three assists, and Gabbi Wright (Elkins Park, Pa./Cheltenham) tallied two points and three rebounds. Sydney Pierson (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) added two points as well for KU.
 
Kutztown will remain on the road as it opens up play in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference with two games this weekend. First, KU will take on Clarion, Saturday, Nov. 23, at 1 p.m., followed by a matchup with Pitt-Johnstown that Sunday, also at 1 p.m.