KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Leila Hurley (Jim Thorpe, Pa./Jim Thorpe) netted a career-best 26 points and finished one 3-pointer shy of tying the program record for 3-pointers in a game, ending with eight, leading Kutztown women's basketball to an 80-57 non-conference victory Monday night inside Keystone Arena.
 
Hurley's previous high was 24 and her eight 3-pointers was one short of program record holder Rylee Derr, who drained nine 3-pointers on Jan. 26, 2019.
 
The Golden Bears are back to a game over .500 at 3-2 overall in the final non-conference game before conference competition ramps up. The team also tied the team record for 3-pointers in a game with 17, set back in 2020. They were 17-for-39 from long range.
 
Kutztown scored a season-high for first quarter points with 33 on 13-of-18 (72.2%) shooting, also connecting on 5-for-7 from three, to more than double up the Wildcats and jump to a 33-16 advantage after one.
 
It was an entirely different story in the second quarter as the Maroon and Gold went cold and scored just seven points on 2-of-17 shooting from the floor and 2-of-10 from long range as Wilmington rallied and climbed back into the contest, outscoring KU 12-7 to trail 40-28 at halftime. WU had a 7-0 run in the middle of the frame that cut its deficit to just 11 (36-25).
 
The Wildcats then tallied the first five points of the third quarter to pull within just seven at 40-33, but KU continued to surge late and held a 61-42 edge after three and their advantage climbed to as many as 24 points, twice in the fourth quarter.
 
Danae Ellzy (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) also finished in double figures in scoring with 12 points. Bella Quinn (Ashland, Ky./Russell) was just shy of a double-double with nine points and eight assists, along with two rebounds and two steals. Both Taylor Gurysh (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy) and Madison Siggins (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) had eight points and combined for nine rebounds. Olivia Smelas (Jim Thorpe, Pa./Jim Thorpe) recorded six points, eight rebounds and six assists. Alexa Windish (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Wood) contributed five points. Ariana Smuda (Exton, Pa./Downingtown East) scored three points and tied Smelas with a team-best eight boards. Kitty Randa (Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) tallied two points and two rebounds and Jadyn Brenneman (New Fairfield, Conn./Western Reserve Academy) rounded out the scoring with one point.
 
Kutztown begins PSAC competition with its next game this Friday, Dec. 5, when it hosts IUP at 1 p.m.

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