KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Freshmen Erin Gibbons and Mia Leonard combined for 33 points, but Kutztown controlled most of Saturday's game to earn the 79-60 conference win at Keystone Arena.
 
Brielle Kelly led the Mansfield (5-11, 3-7 PSAC) offense with a game-high 16 points, scoring 10 in the first half alone. Gibbons connected on 60% of her shots from the outside to score 12 points. Both Leonard and Alyssa Mullins put up 11 points while each grabbing a team-high seven boards.
 
Kira Merritt came off the bench to record a season-high five points and four rebounds.
 
Kutztown (9-6, 3-6 PSAC) was paced by Taylor Thame's 15 points while freshman Rylee Derr dropped 12. Keifonna Ferguson grabbed a game-high eight rebounds.
 
The Mountaineers cut their opponents lead to eight entering halftime 33-25 after trailing by a deficit of 13 in the second quarter. Neither team could connect on much from the floor in the first half as Mansfield was held to just 34.8% (8-23) and Kutztown 32.4% (11-34).
 
The Mounties held a field goal percentage advantage from the floor (43.6), the arch (35.7), and the line (77.8), but the Golden Bear's depth was too much totaling 38 bench points.
 
The Mountaineers remain on the road as they travel to Slippery Rock for a 1 p.m. tip-off on Saturday.