KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Mansfield University women's basketball team had four players reach double-figures and used a complete team effort to overcome an 8-point first half deficit, but PSAC East leading Kutztown University knocked down clutch shots late in the forth to come away with a 69-57 victory on Wednesday, Jan. 15.
 
In just 24 minutes of action, freshman Jasmine Hilton scored 16 points and pulled in six rebounds while netting 8-of-15 shots of the field. Junior Paige Whitfield led the Mounties with seven rebounds to go with 12 points. Freshman Jasmine Perez and junior Chelsea Cover each notched 11 points and Perez added five rebounds.
 
The Mounties connected on 50 percent (7-of-14) of their shots from the floor and knocked down two three pointers to outscore the Golden Bears, 17-12 in the third period and cut their deficit to three heading into the fourth. Whitfield and Hilton combined for 10 points over the opening four minutes of the third and Cover drilled a 3-pointer to help the Mounties claw all the way back and knot the game at 40 with 5:36 to go.
 
A contested jumper by Cover gave the Mounties their first lead since the 7:10 mark in the first, 43-41 with 3:30 to go. However, Kutztown connected on the equalizer on their next possession and outscored the Mounties 7-3 over the final three minutes to hold a three-point lead heading into the final period of action.
 
Perez connected on the first basket in the fourth and a pair of Whitfield free throws cut the Mountie deficit to one, 50-49 with 8:46 to go. However, that was as close as the Mounties could get as Kutztown outscore Mansfield, 19-8 the rest of the way to seal the victory.
 
The Mountaineers (43 percent) outshot the Golden Bears (42 percent), but the Golden Bears knocked down 19 foul shots compared to Mansfield's four.
 
In the first half, the first and second quarter mirrored one another with the Golden Bears outscoring the Mounties, 18-14 in each. The Mounties (12-of-28) nearly matched Kutztown (11-of-27) from the field, but the Golden Bears knocked down five trifectas to Mansfield's three and won the battle at the free throw line, 7-1. 
 
Karen Lapkiewicz led the Golden Bears with 22 points on 5-of-6 shooting while going an impressive 10-of-12 from the charity stripe. Rylee Derr added 11 points and eight rebounds.
 
The Mounties look to rebound on the road when they head to East Stroudsburg for a PSAC match-up on Saturday, Jan. 18. The contest is set for an early afternoon tip-off beginning at 1:00 p.m.