BEHREND EARNS UPSET VICTORY IN WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Second seed Penn State Behrend upset top-seed and defending AMCC Champion La Roche University 73-54 to earn their third overall AMCC women's basketball title, and their first in twenty years. 

La Roche came out of the gates with a quick 6-0 lead, including four points from Makayla Abram, to start the game until a Morgan Altavilla step back three at the 6:30 mark cut their lead in half. La Roche then went on a  9-2 run over the next two and a half minutes to take a 15-5 leave with 4:00 to go in the first quarter. The Lions finished the quarter on a 7-2 run of their own to pull within five (17-12) after one quarter of play.

Behrend continued their hot streak as they scored the first nine points of the second quarter, taking their first lead of the game at the 8:37 mark on another Altavilla three, giving the Lions the 19-17 edge. Behrend built their lead to as big as eight points when they went up 30-22 on yet another Altavilla long ball with 3:42 to go in the first half. It was then La Roche's turn to heat things up, as the Redhawks clawed back with an 8-2 run to close out the half down just two points. 

Behrend took a 32-30 lead into the locker room at halftime, as Altavilla led all scorers in the first half with 15 points. 

The momentum shifted back to Behrend in the third quarter and beyond, as the Lions outscored the Redhawks 20-12 in third and 21-12 in the fourth quarter to set the final at 73-54. Altavilla was nearly unstoppable, pouring in 29 points, while grabbing six rebounds and dishing out four assists. Rachel Majewski added 15 points, three assists, three blocks and two steals, while Madilyn Boyer stepped up with 13 points, 15 rebounds and three assists. 

Dasja Anderson led the Redhawks with 17 points while Jazmine Dunn added 11. 

With the win, Penn State Behrend earns the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The NCAA Selection Show is scheduled for Monday.

All Tournament Team
Morgan Altavilla, Penn St. Behrend
Rachel Majewski, Penn St. Behrend
Jazmine Dunn, La Roche
Dasja Anderson, La Roche
Avana Sayles, Penn St. Altoona
Molly Kosmack, Mount Aloysius
Melina Maietta, Pitt-Greensburg
Yasmine Abu-Aiadeh, Pitt-Bradford