INDIANA, Pa. – Following consecutive victories on back-to-back nights to open up Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference play on the first weekend of December, Kutztown women's basketball dropped its first conference game Sunday afternoon at nationally-ranked Indiana (Pa.), 61-57.
The defeat snaps a season-long, three-game win streak for the Golden Bears (4-5 overall, 2-1 PSAC).
The 11th-ranked Crimson Hawks (8-0, 3-0) erased a three-point deficit after the third quarter and a five-point disadvantage to start the fourth quarter and outscored KU 20-13 in the final frame to remain unbeaten.
Naia Pulliam (Wilmington, Del./St. Elizabeth) led the Maroon and Gold offense with 13 points, 11 of which came in the first half. She added four rebounds in 30 minutes of play.
Casey Remolde (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) finished with her first double-double of the season and fifth of her career as she scored 11 points and grabbed a season-high 13 rebounds, playing 39-of-40 minutes.
Abbey Hearn (Lewes, Del./Cape Henlopen) also tallied 11 points for KU.
Kutztown broke a 4-4 tie and scored 11 of the next 14 points in the next 4:50 and held a 15-7 advantage after the opening quarter. IUP then netted nine of the first 11 points of the second quarter to pull to within one point (17-16) with 6:40 left. KU held a slim 33-31 lead heading into halftime.
The Golden Bears kept a slim lead throughout the third quarter and ended the frame ahead 44-41, following a jumper by Hearn.
Pulliam had a layup 1:30 into the fourth to give her team a 46-41 lead, but the Crimson Hawks scored 10 in-a-row over the next 2:37 to go up 51-46 with 5:53 to play and never gave up the lead.
Annie Whalen (Ivyland, Pa./Archbishop Wood) recorded nine points, four rebounds, two blocks and two assists.
Zara Zerman (Jonestown, Pa./Northern Lebanon) had seven points and two rebounds.
Shannon Remolde (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) tallied four points and
Sydney Pierson (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) rounded out the scoring with two points and six rebounds.
Kutztown remains on the road and will have a quick turnaround as it takes on Seton Hill in PSAC action tomorrow, Monday, Dec. 19, at 1 p.m.
