Box Score
Mercyhurst used a 19-4 first quarter run and an 11-2 run to close out the second quarter to build a 15-point halftime advantage on its way to handing the Lady Cat basketball team a 71-41 PSAC Western Division loss, Saturday afternoon in Erie.  Olivia McCabe had 16 points and nine rebounds for Pitt-Johnstown, which fell to 6-11 overall and 2-9 in the PSAC West.
 
Pitt-Johnstown started fast and ran out to a five-point lead.  Olivia McCabe scored eight early points, and Laurel O'Barto followed with a basket to put the Lady Cats in front 10-5 three minutes in.
 
However, Mercyhurst with the 19-4 run over the final 6:11 of the first quarter to build the double-digit lead.  Jalin Steel's lay-up and free-throw quickly tied it at 10, before Haley Anders' 3-pointer with 23 seconds left gave the Lakers a 24-14 lead.
 
Mercyhurst then got a basket from Jessica Bell to begin the second quarter to extend it to 12, but a bucket from Gabrielle Smith and a 3-pointer by Jamie Tabon got Pitt-Johnstown back to within six at 30-24 with 3:02 remaining in the half.
 
Mercyhurst answered again and outscored the Lady Cats 11-2 the rest of the way to take a 41-26 lead into the halftime break.
 
McCabe's basket in the paint to open the third quarter got the deficit down to 13, but the Lakers maintained the momentum and pushed it out to 50-30 on Maria Lapertosa's lay-up at 3:26.
 
The Lady Cats scored the next six, including a steal and lay-up by Alexis Hartwick, cut it to 52-36 entering the final quarter.
 
That was as close as it would get.  Back-to-back Angela Heintz 3-pointers to start the fourth quarter extended Mercyhurst's lead to 58-36 and the Lakers cruised to the lopsided victory.
 
McCabe's 16 points and nine rebounds led the Lady Cats.  Smith had nine points and five rebounds, and Maurina Nunn added five points off the bench.
 
Pitt-Johnston shot just 34.0% (16-47) from the floor and 2-14 from 3-point range.  The Lady Cats also just 7-15 from the free-throw line.  Mercyhurst, which held a 48-26 advantage in rebounding, ended the day shooting 37.1% (23-63) from the floor, 9-21 from behind the 3-point line, and 16-20 from the charity stripe.
 
Heintz finished with game-highs of 19 points and 10 rebounds and Bell had 13 points for the Lakers, who improved to 15-2 overall and 10-1 in the PSAC West.
 
Pitt-Johnstown travels to a PSAC game at Slippery Rock on Wednesday, before returning home to host a conference doubleheader with the Mountain Cats against Seton Hill on January 21 at 1 and 3 p.m. in the Sports Center.