WASHINGTON – A loud and raucous Field House crowd fell silent as the final second ticked off the scoreboard and No. 3 Penn St.-Abington celebrated a 91-87 upset over No. 2 Gallaudet University in the United East – Volt Division semifinal round here Monday evening.
It was a heartbreaking loss for the Bison (17-9) after they rallied from down 17 points to begin the fourth quarter to knotting the game at 85 apiece with 2:13 left in regulation. GU used a 21-4 run to storm back and tie the game, but the buff and blue could never regain the lead from Penn St.-Abington.
GU missed six shots from the field over the course of the final two minutes and two free throw chances while the Nittany Lions put the game away at the free throw line.
It was a stunning loss for Gallaudet.
The Bison lost for only the third time at home this season and dropped a game to Penn St.-Abington for the first time in eight chances.
It also marked the end of one of the best Gallaudet women's basketball careers in the school's history as senior forward
Cassidy Perry (Frederick, Md.) left the court for the final time after leaving it all on the floor.
Perry set game-high totals for points (29), rebounds (17), blocked shots (five) and field goals (11) in 39 minutes played. This was Perry's 15th double-double this season, and it was the third time she had five blocks and 29 or more points scored in a game this year.
Perry concludes her historic career as the No. 3 leading scorer in GU history with 1,738 points and No. 2 in GU history for rebounds with 1,067. Perry also tallied 282 assists, 184 blocks and 168 steals in 97 games played.
Penn St.-Abington advances to Wednesday night's Volt Division final at No. 1 Penn St. Harrisburg (15-11). The top-seed dispatched the No. 4 seed St. Mary's College of Maryland Seahawks, 59-44, in the other Monday night semifinal.
The wind got knocked out of Gallaudet's sails just five minutes into the game when first year forward
Cam Lexow (Abington, Pa.) collided with Layla Reid at midcourt and Lexow took a hard fall to the ground. Lexow did not return to the game.
The Bison had to regroup without one of their main pieces on the court while Penn St.-Abington drained 3-pointers at will in the first half. The hot-shooting Nittany Lions made 10 of 18 shots (55.6 percent) from 3-point range in the first 20 minutes of play.
Penn St.-Abington took a 56-42 lead into intermission.
It was a battle in the third quarter as each team scored 22 points. Perry scored eight points, grabbed four rebounds and made three blocks during that frame for the Bison.
That set the stage for the fourth quarter as GU trailed 78-64 and Nittany Lion senior Angela Sanders (22 points, seven rebounds) made a layup and got fouled just nine seconds in. Sanders converted the three-point play as the visitors led 81-64.
Gallaudet had its back against the wall, but it battled back to 85-85 with two minutes to go.
Unfortunately, time ran out for the Bison to complete a miraculous comeback and continue their terrific season.
BISON TRACKS
- Senior guard Rajena Guettler (Frederick, Md.) tallied 16 points, seven rebounds, six assists
- Junior guard Crystal Salit (Boyds, Md.) finished with 12 points, seven assists, three assists
- Sophomore Olivia Brown (Miami, Fla.) came off the bench to record a double-double with 10 points and 10 boards
- GU scored 54 points in the paint and 23 second chance points
- The 17 wins ties the most for a Coach Stephanie Stevens team in her 11 seasons at the helm
UP NEXT
Gallaudet concludes its season a 17-9 record.
