Victoria Moreland scored 17 points, but was not able to sink a potential buzzer-beater three-pointer that would have tied the game for Pitt-Johnstown. Gannon University defeated the Lady Cats, 74-71, Monday night at the Pitt-Johnstown Sports Center in Johnstown

The Golden Knights scored six points in the first two minutes of the game to take an early 6-1 advantage. They eventually took an 8-point lead almost four minutes later Lanise Saunders made a layup off of an assist from Maggie Mitchell at 4:11, with the score, 15-7 in favor of Gannon.

Maurina Nunn responded for the Lady Cats with a three-pointer 20 seconds later, cutting the margin to five points. Layups by Mitchell and Haley Tewes in the first period's final minutes jolted Gannon to a 21-12 lead heading into the second quarter.

With Pitt-Johnstown down by seven points with 8:15 remaining in the half, Gabrielle Smith hit a three-point shot and two free throws at 7:49, but that was not all as Laurel O'Barto made a shot from outside the perimeter as well to put together an 8-0 Lady Cats run, which gave them their first lead, 24-23.

UPJ was able to regain the lead one more time before the half, going up 28-25 with 6:49 left in the second period after two free throws by Olivia McCabe, but the Golden Knights went on a 10-0 spirt, which put them in position to enter halftime with a 38-35 advantage.

McCabe led the game with 19 points along with Gannon' Saunders for Pitt-Johnstown, which falls to 6-9 overall, 2-7 in PSAC competition. McCabe also recorded nine rebounds.

Gannon outrebounded (20-13) and outshot Pitt-Johnstown from the field (43.5%-36.7%) and also only missed one of 15 free throw attempts in the first half.

The Golden Knights, who advanced to 4-11 overall and 4-5 in conference play, retained the lead for most of the third period's first three minutes, but layups from O'Barto and Jamie Tabon tied the game at 42 points at 7:12 in the period.

The Lady Cats tied the game again at 44 before they gained a 4-point lead, 48-44 after a layup from McCabe at 5:32. Gannon, however, recovered the momentum and finished the period with an 11-2 run, which put them ahead, 55-50.

The Golden Knights' offensive outburst set up a hole for the Lady Cats to climb out and eventually led to UPJ trailing 68-62 with 3:38 left to play, but eventually answered with a layup from McCabe and a three-pointer from Moreland, trimming the deficit to one point, 68-67 with 2:16 remaining.

Crucial free-throw shots were made by Mitchell and Julie Braungart for Gannon to seemingly clinch a victory, but a layup from O'Barto with four seconds left put Pitt-Johnstown within one score of the lead before Moreland's missed three-pointer as time expired.

The Lady Cats are to continue their homestand with another PSAC Western Division doubleheader Wednesday against No. 8 California University (Pa.), which is to start with the women's game at 5:30 p.m.