KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Kutztown overcame a sluggish first quarter by both teams and took control of the game with a strong second quarter to earn its first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference win of the 2025-26 regular season, defeating Clarion 76-49 Saturday afternoon inside Keystone Arena.
 
The Golden Bears (4-4 overall, 1-1 PSAC) also evened their overall record back to .500 with the victory.
 
Leila Hurley (Jim Thorpe, Pa./Jim Thorpe) led the way with 18 points, going 5-for-9 from long distance, while also adding three rebounds and two blocks. Madison Siggins (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) finished with 12 points and Ariana Smuda (Exton, Pa./Downingtown East) also recorded double figures in scoring with 10 points, while also adding three rebounds and two blocks.
 
Kutztown opened the game with a 3-pointer by Bella Quinn (Ashland, Ky./Russell) to take the early 3-0 lead and then Hurley connected herself from distance 0:52 later for KU to go ahead 6-0. CU rallied to tie the score at 9-9 and then took its first lead at 11-9 after two free-throws by Zoe Bayer with 2:51 left in the opening quarter. Trailing 13-11, the Maroon and Gold responded with a 3-pointer by Jadyn Brenneman (New Fairfield, Conn./Western Reserve Academy) and then a driving layup by Danae Ellzy (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) with just 0:05 remaining to take a 16-13 edge after one.
 
Within the first 3:54 of the second quarter, the Golden Bears found themselves on top by nine (25-16) after a Quinn layup. They then spent the final 4:10 of the frame, extending a 25-20 advantage into double figures at halftime, leading 33-22 at the intermission on a Smelas layup.
 
The Golden Bears continued their surge out of the locker room as Alexa Windish (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Wood) connected on a jumper to extend the lead to 13 points. The Golden Eagles pulled to within eight with four straight points and found themselves down just seven (44-37) with 2:42 left in the third quarter, but that would be the closest they would get the rest of the way as the Maroon and Gold walked off the court on top by 12 heading to the fourth and then scored 12 unanswered points to begin the fourth and kept the pressure off in securing their first conference win.
 
Brenneman and Ellzy both tallied seven points and each of Quinn and Windish contributed five points. Olivia Smelas (Jim Thorpe, Pa./Jim Thorpe) had four points and 14 rebounds and both Kitty Randa (Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) and Josephine Vourliotis (Manchester, England/Stretford Grammar School) scored three points.
 
Kutztown has a quick turnaround and will play one more game before breaking for the holidays. KU hosts Pitt-Johnstown in another PSAC crossover game tomorrow, Sunday, Dec. 21, at 1 p.m., from Keystone Arena.

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