Reading, PA- The Penn St. Berks Women's Basketball Team dropped a home matchup with St. Mary's College of Maryland by a score 78-58 on Saturday, Jan. 11.

The Lions (0-12 Overall, 0-6 UE) got off to a strong start, with Ashlyn Clark swishing a 3-pointer on the team's first possession. Hailey Miller extended the advantage, knocking down a jump shot. Berks kept the five-point advantage when Morgan Dunbar connected from beyond the arc. The Seahawks (9-6 Overall 6-0 UE) fought back, going on a 10-0 run to grab a five-point lead. Mahala Ruffner halted the run, converting a layup in traffic. The Lions trailed 17-14 heading into the second quarter. St. Mary's (MD) heated up in the second quarter, connecting seven times from beyond the arc building a 24-point lead that they carried into the break.

Berks tried to regain momentum in the second half, with Dunbar and Clark both slashing to the basket for layups. The Lions continued to score with Gabrielle Merritt and Ruffner converting shots in the paint, but Berks could not cut into the deficit. Hailey Miller started the second half with a couple of baskets, and after making two free throws closed the deficit back down to 25 points. Later in the quarter Kylie Dunn connected on a 3-pointer and Reagan Throp made a jump shot to pull the deficit down to 20. Berks could not get any closer, falling 78-58.

Miller led the Lions in scoring, finishing the game with 14 points to go along with four steals. Clark reached double figures, scoring 11 points and hauling in seven rebounds. Merritt led the Lions in rebounds, hauling in 11 loose balls. Jalyn Hann and Ruffner each scored seven points off the bench.

WHO'S NEXT
The Lions go back on the road trip Saint Elizabeth on Tuesday, Jan. 14. The opening tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 PM.

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