INDIANA, Pa. – The IUP women's basketball, ranked 11th in the D2SIDA rankings, did just enough down the stretch to stay unbeaten with a 61-57 victory against Kutztown on Sunday afternoon at the KCAC.
IUP (8-0, 3-0) settled in from a shaky start and early foul trouble, eventually gaining the lead for good with about seven minutes remaining in the contest.
Maria Cerro guided the Hawks with a game-high 19 points, chipping in one assist and four steals in 38 minutes.
Alana Cardona posted 13 points, seven rebounds and three blocks for IUP.
Gina Adams added 11 points and nine rebounds, while
Teirra Preston logged six of her eight points in the fourth quarter. The Crimson Hawks shot 35.5% for the game and 50% over the final 10 minutes in the comeback victory.
Kutztown (4-5, 2-1) had its winning streak halted at three games. Naia Pulliam paced the Golden Bears scoring effort with 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Casey Remolde was active across the board with 11 points, nine rebounds, six blocks and one steal in 39 minutes of action.
Trailing by five entering the fourth quarter, IUP used a timely 8-0 run to pull ahead.
The Crimson Hawks held the advantage early in a low scoring first quarter. Kutztown moved in front on a layup from Syndey Pierson at 4:47 in the first, a lead the Golden Bears would maintain until IUP tied the game at 6:31 of the third quarter. KU promptly moved back ahead from there, holding the advantage until IUP tied the score and regained the lead at the foul line at 6:59 in the fourth.
Pulliam lifted the Golden Bears to a seven-point lead with a triple at 1:44 in the first. IUP began chipping away in the second, cutting its deficit to one point on three different occasions in the stanza at 6:40, 4:55 and 4:20.
KU used a quick 5-0 run, stretching its lead to seven points at 29-22.
Gina Adams notched one of just two IUP three-point baskets on the day before a late layin from Cerro trimmed the halftime deficit to 33-31.
A Cardona jumper, Adams block and Cerro jumper evened the score at 35 with 6:31 left in the third. The Bears remained in front by a slim margin for the remainder of the quarter, jumpstarted by a clutch three from Abbey Hearn at 6:05.
The 8-0 IUP run turned a 46-41 fourth quarter deficit into a 51-46 advantage. Preston finished off a
Kiera Baughman feed in the low post, providing IUP some breathing room. The Hawks clamped down on defense and finished out the victory at the foul line.
Up Next
IUP finishes up its home slate for the 2022 calendar year with a quick turnaround on Monday, December 19 against West Chester at 5:30 p.m.
Follow
For up-to-date information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP women's basketball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUP_WBB.
