Box Score

IMMACULATA, Pa. – Sara Smith scored a game-high 28 points as Immaculata defeated Penn State Harrisburg, 72-65, in non-conference action Tuesday night at Alumnae Hall.

Immaculata improved to 3-1 overall while Penn State Harrisburg slipped to 2-3. The Mighty Macs also stayed a perfect 2-0 at home this season.

Adriana Sciascia scored 10 points and had six rebounds, two assists and two steals for Immaculata, while Brittany Merkle collected a game-high 14 rebounds to go along with eight points. Smith added to her game-best 28 points with eight rebounds and two steals. Mackie Fitzgerald chipped in seven points, two assists and three steals.

Smith led the Mighty Macs at the foul line going 8-for-9. As a team, Immaculata was 28 of 34 for the contest. Christie Orgera was a perfect 6-for-6, Lindsay Cras connected on 4-for-4, and Marisa Kinsey was also a perfect 2-for-2.

The Mighty Macs did not take their first lead of the second half until 7:49 remaining in the contest. However, the Lions never led by more than five (56-51), and that spurred the Mighty Macs rally. Immaculata held Penn State Harrisburg scoreless for a two-minute stretch when the hosts scored seven-straight points to take the lead, 58-56. Kinsey had all four of her points in the game during this span, and Smith had three points.

Miranda Zeanchock then scored five points for the visitors as the Lions retook the lead, 61-58. But, the Mighty Macs used a 14-4 run during the final 6:18 of the contest to turn that three-point deficit into the seven-point victory. Immaculata used its strong free throw shooting to seal the win going 8-for-8 at the line during the final five minutes.

Immaculata held a slim one-point edge (66-65) when Merkle knocked down both free throws with 58.3 seconds to play to give the Mighty Macs a three-point cushion. Smith's layup with 18.1 seconds left extended the lead, and Orgera put the contest out of reach with two free throws with 7.6 seconds on the clock.

Penn State Harrisburg held a 39-38 lead at halftime, but the opening stanza saw 12 lead changes and two ties.

Immaculata opens play in the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) on Monday, Dec. 2, heading to Cedar Crest for a 7 p.m. tip.