Box Score
Jamie Tabon led Pitt-Johnstown with a career-high 18 points to a near upset over Saint Francis (Pa.) University, but it was the Red Flash would come back to win the game, 82-78 in a non-conference neutral site game Saturday at the Cambria County War Memorial Arena in downtown Johnstown.
 
Olivia McCabe also posted her sixth double-double performance this season, adding 12 points and 11 rebounds along with four blocks and two steals for the Lady Cats, who fell to 5-5 overall, but remain at 3-3 in PSAC competition.
 
Jasmine Harper and Leah Hansen both had point totals in double digits with Harper tallying 17 points along with nine rebounds, and Hansen with 12 points, four rebounds and three steals.
 
Pitt-Johnstown got out to a 15-10 lead 4:00 into the first quarter after Tabon made a three-pointer from an assist by Laurel O'Barto. Along with 18 points, Tabon also finished the game with seven rebounds, three steals and two blocks.
 
The Red Flash, who are members of Division I sports and the Northeast Conference, were able to reverse their misfortunes in the ensuing minutes, scoring the nine points in the next 2:33 with the last points of the run coming from Courtney Zezza.
 
As the second quarter began, the lead changed four more times in the first two and a half minutes until Saint Francis kept the lead from 7:29 to the 1:09 mark in the first half.
 
Saint Francis got out to a 38-31 lead when Cydney Smith made one of two free throw attempts with 3:08 remaining until halftime after being fouled by Victoria Moreland. Leah Hansen tied the game at 38-38 for the Lady Cats when she drained a three-pointer.
 
The teams remained within four points of each other for the rest of the half, but it was the Red Flash who started the third quarter with a 44-43 advantage.
 
The Lady Cats opened the second half on a 12-2 run in the first 4:16 of the third quarter. The run was led by five points from McCabe, who finished off the run with two free throws, giving UPJ a 55-46 lead after being fouled by Zezza.
 
Pitt-Johnstown eventually stretched their lead to 65-50 with 2:30 remaining in the quarter when O'Barto successfully went 2-for-2 from the charity stripe. They went into the fourth with a 68-58 advantage after Tabon made a free throw for her 14^th point of the game, but Saint Francis outscored the Lady Cats 24-10 in the fourth quarter.
 
Tabon scored again with a layup, giving the Lady Cats another 10-point lead, 76-66 with 5:26 left in the game, but in the next three minutes, the Red Flash went on a 12-2 run of their own to tie the game at 78-78 after a free throw made by Katie Reese with 2:27 left in the game.
 
The run continued, however, with four more points in the last two minutes to end the game and give Saint Francis the victory after layups from Smith and Jessica Kovatch.
 
Kovatch scored a game-high 32 points along with seven rebounds to lead the Red Flash to victory, advancing to 3-6 overall.
 
The Lady Cats are to host the University of Charleston (W. Va.) in a non-conference game Dec. 15 at 5:30 p.m. at the Pitt-Johnstown Sports Center before traveling to Gannon University Dec. 19 at 5:30 p.m. in Erie, Pa.