JOHNSTOWN, PA. – The Mansfield University women's basketball team fell in a PSAC crossover game to the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown on Wednesday, Jan. 29 by a final score of 84-59.
 
Junior Paige Whitfield led the traveling Mountaineers (3-17, 1-13 PSAC) as a downtown threat, scoring nine of her 13 points on the night from beyond the arc. Sophomore Sydney Reed continued her increased role in the starting five with eight points and four rebounds. Freshman Hanna Johnson followed up on her eight-point performance from Saturday night against Millersville with another eight-point showing.
 
A successful full-court press led Pittsburgh-Johnstown (12-8, 7-7 PSAC) on a 7-0 run just 1:43 into the ballgame.  Freshman Alivia Paeglow put the Mounties on the board with a layup a minute later. The Mounties final two field goals of the quarter were 3-pointers from freshman Bella Skatell and Whitfield to head into the second period trailing 16-14.  
 
UPJ used an 11-2 run in the second quarter to extend their lead to double-figures for the first time in the game, 31-21 with 5:33 remaining in the half. Still battling a double-digit deficit, Whitfield sparked a 6-0 Mountaineer run after cleaning up her own miss and converting a put back at the 1:06 mark. The Mounties forced three steals within the final 30 seconds of the half, including two from freshman Jasmine Perez. Perez captured a steal with 22 seconds remaining that led to a foul and two successful shots from the charity line. Five ticks later, Perez captured another steal and laid it off the glass, a sequence of four of her eight points on the night to enter half down 38-32.
 
Pittsburgh-Johnstown put the game out of reach in the third period by outscoring the Mounties 29-12 on 53 percent shooting from the field. The Mountain Cat's leading scorer came courtesy of McGrath who had 18 points on the night. Gabrielle Smith added 13 points while cleaning up six boards.
 
The Mounties notched double-digit points from the foul line (10-of-15) while also recording double-figure steals (12), including four from freshman Perez and Reed.
 
The Mounties continue their road trip Saturday, Feb. 1  at 1 p.m. when they head to West Chester University to face the Golden Rams.