MCCANDLESS, Pa. - The La Roche women's basketball team dominated in their first victory of the season against Penn St. Altoona, 90-68 in the home opener. After an 0-3 start in which the Redhawks failed to score more than 57 points in their first three games, LRU turned things around offensively in their home opener. Their 90 points are the second most in a single game by any AMCC team this season and the most by the Redhawks since February 2017. They shot 34-67 (50%) from the field, 9-17 (52%) from 3-PT and 13-18 from the free-throw (72%) line; all are season bests. Five different Redhawks scored in double-digit figures.
La Roche is now 18-1 all-time against Altoona dating back to the 2010-11 season.
Final: La Roche: 90, Penn St. Altoona: 68
Records: La Roche (1-3), Penn St. Altoona (2-2)
How it Happened
La Roche jumped out to an early 14-7 lead to start the game and never looked back. In those first six minutes, Sophomore forward Dasja Anderson (Twinsburg, OH/Twinsburg) went a perfect 3-3 from the field accumulating 6 points in that time. Anderson would finish with 12 total. However, Altoona remained competitive early on and ended the 1st quarter on a 9-4 run to bring the game within four points.
In the second quarter, the Redhawks took over. They started the quarter by going on a 13-0 run behind two 3-PT from Junior guard Ayanna Mazyck (Philadelphia, PA/Harford CC). Mazyck finished with 11 points in the second quarter alone. In the second, LRU limited to Altoona to only one field goal and seven points.
La Roche headed into the second half with a 19-point lead ahead 44-25. The Redhawks 44 first-half points are the most so far this season.
In the third quarter, Freshman forward Dashá Jackson (Ambridge, PA/Ambridge) was an impressive 3-3 from the field and 1-1 from the line accumulating seven points in only six minutes of action. Jackson finished with a season-high 15 points on 6-7 FG and picked up 6 rebounds. The Freshman will be a key component in the post this season for LRU.
Preseason Player of the Year, Senior forward Jenna Cole, scored 10 of her 12 total points in the fourth quarter. She knocked down 4-6 FG and 2-2 FT while also picking up 4 rebounds in 10 minutes of play.
Inside the Box Score
Mazcyk finished the game with a team and season-high 20 points on 6-12 (50%) FG. Defensively, Ayanna picked up an impressive 8 steals, also a season-high. She currently leads the AMCC with 17 steals this season.
After leaving the game with an injury, Sophomore guard Danajah Sanders (Cleveland, OH/Brush) came back to score 8 points in the fourth quarter. Sanders finished the game with 13 points on 4-7 FG and 3-4 3-PT in only 20 minutes of action.
Junior guard Shaundrea Butler (Cleveland, OH/Twinsburg) was the Redhawks main facilitator finishing with a game-high 5 assists.
The Redhawks out-rebounded the Lions 38-32, tying their season-high for a single game.
Penn St. Altoona's Alexis Cannistraci finished with a game-high 28 points and 13 rebounds.
NEXT UP: Women's basketball returns to action on December 3rd at home against neighboring Carnegie Mellon beginning at 7:00 p.m.
