SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Kutztown women's basketball built a double-digit, first-quarter lead and never let the foot off the gas in earning its first victory of 2024 in the last Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference crossover game Wednesday afternoon, downing Slippery Rock 69-46 on the road.
It is the third straight win and fourth in the last five games for the Golden Bears (5-7 overall, 3-3 PSAC), who have really found a rhythm of late after losing seven of their first nine games. They are currently tied for second place in the East Division.
Naia Pulliam (Wilmington, Del./St. Elizabeth) scored a game-high 20 points on 8-of-14 (57.1%) shooting from the floor, while also grabbing five rebounds, dishing out five assists and coming away with three steals in 26 minutes of action.
Abbey Hearn (Lewes, Del./Cape Henlopen) also finished in double figures in scoring, adding 15 points and seven rebounds.
Kutztown built a sizeable lead in the opening quarter, scoring the first five points via a 3-pointer by Hearn and a layup by
Olivia Smelas (Jim Thorpe, Pa./Jim Thorpe). KU outscored the Rock (1-8, 1-5) 20-8 in the first quarter and led by as many as 17 points, three different times in the second quarter, the last time being 29-12 with 5:15 left. The Maroon and Gold went into the locker room on top 31-18.
After opening the third period recording eight of the first 10 points to go up 39-20, 1:32 into the second half, the Golden Bears never allowed Slippery Rock closer than 10 (42-32) the rest of the way, finishing off the third once again leading by 19 points (51-32).
The Kutztown defense forced 23 turnovers and six different Golden Bears had at least one steal, led by three each from Pulliam, Smelas and
Zara Zerman (Jonestown, Pa./Northern Lebanon), while Hearn contributed two.
Eight different players etched their names in the scoring column. Both Zerman and
Leila Hurley (Jim Thorpe, Pa./Jim Thorpe) just missed scoring in double digits, finishing with nine points. Smelas recorded six points and tied Hearn for the team lead with seven rebounds.
Sydney Pierson (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) had five points and six rebounds.
Taylor Gurysh (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy) added three points and
Bella Arcuri (Fallsington, Pa./Pennsbury) rounded out the scoring with two points.
Kutztown is done with games with western divisional foes during the regular season and will begin PSAC East play with a road game at Mansfield this Saturday, Jan. 6, at 1 p.m.
