WASHINGTON - Time ran out on Gallaudet University's comeback against Penn State Harrisburg here Monday afternoon in the Field House in a closely contested United East Conference women's basketball game. In the end, the visiting Lions escaped with a 72-70 victory on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the nation's capital.

Gallaudet (5-7-, 3-2 United East) jumped out early over Penn State Harrisburg (8-4, 4-1 United East), in a battle of two teams that entered today's game tied for third place in the conference standings. The Bison broke open an 8-8 game in the first quarter with 13-3 run and led 23-13 after the first 10 minutes of play.

The Lions chipped away at the Gallaudet lead in the second quarter after the Bison went up 30-19 on a layup made by freshman Jewel Rocha (Austin, Texas) at the 6:30 mark. For the remainder of the quarter, Penn State Harrisburg used a 17-2 run, that was supported by three 3-pointers, to take a 36-32 lead into halftime.

In the second half, Gallaudet was outscored 18-12 in the third quarter and trailed by as much as 12 points with eight minutes left in regulation. The Bison never crumbled and were in the game until the end. GU got to within three points several times down the stretch before things got interesting in the last minute of play. 

The Bison trailed by five points, 69-64, as the final minute ticked down on the scoreboard against the Lions. Sophomore forward Cassidy Perry (Frederick, Md.), who played the majority of the game in foul trouble and was in the game with four fouls, came through with two clutch baskets in the final minute of play. 

Perry made a steal and seconds later converted a layup as GU trailed by one point, 69-68, with 46 seconds left. The Lions missed two free throws to open the door for the Bison to take their first lead since the second quarter but Perry missed a shot and Penn State Harrisburg made three of its next four foul shots.

GU had one final chance to win the game as sophomore Malia Zornoza (Riverside, Calif.) made a basket with one second left and got fouled in the process. Gallaudet trailed by two points, 72-70, and had to miss the foul shot attempt and hope for a quick put back but the missed free throw bounced away from the paint area, under the basket, as the final second ticked off the clock to end the game.

Perry finished the game with a game-high 21 points, eight rebounds, three steals, one block and one assist. Freshman guard Crystal Salit (Boyds, Md.) was the other Bison in double figures with 16 points, four assists, two rebounds and two steals. Zornoza led the Gallaudet bench with nine of its 22 points scored and finished with five rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals. 

Penn State Harrisburg was paced by guard Kendis Butler, who matched Perry with a 21-point game, as she made 5 of 16 shots from 3-point range. The Lions finished the game with 16 3-pointers.

BISON TRACKS

• Senior guard Emelia Beldon (Frederick, Md.) tallied three points, passed out a game-high eight assists and ripped down seven boards and made three steals
• Freshman forward Hannah Puent (Indianapolis, Ind.) scored four points and grabbed seven rebounds off the bench
• GU scored 32 points in the paint while the Lions camped outside and heaved up 48 3-point attempts
• Both team's enjoyed leads of 12 points at different points in the game

UP NEXT
Gallaudet will hit the road and head to Penn St.-Abington (4-8, 3-1 United East) for a conference game this Wednesday, Jan. 19, at 7 p.m.