For the second straight game, the Pitt-Johnstown women's basketball team hit the court against a nationally-ranked opponent.  After taking down 17^th-ranked IUP on Monday, the Mountain Cats welcomed PSAC foe and 14^th-ranked Gannon to the Sports Center on Saturday and it was all Pitt-Johnstown.
 
Makalyn Clapper scored a game-high 17 points to lead three Pitt-Johnstown double figure scorers and help the Mountain Cats build a 27-point second half advantage on their way to a convincing, 72-53, victory over the Golden Knights.  Pitt-Johnstown made it four wins in its last five outings and improved to 8-10 overall and evened its record in the PSAC West at 6-6.
 
Along with Clapper's 17 points on 7-10 shooting and 3-4 from behind the arc, Ashley Norling had a double-double of 16 points and a game-high 10 rebounds, and Olivia Fasick collected 16 points, including four 3-pointers, for Pitt-Johnstown.  The Mountain Cats also got seven points from Peyton Alazaus, six points from Kylah Franklin, and five points from Hayden Taylor.
 
Emma Wright gave Gannon an early five-point lead, but Pitt-Johnstown answered with a 14-0 run over the final 5:08 of the opening quarter, and it was all Mountain Cats the rest of the way.  Molly Wagner's layup at 3:09 put the Mountain Cats on top by one, before Hayden Taylor and Fasick scored late in the quarter to make it 18-9.
 
After shooting 50% in the first quarter, Pitt-Johnstown caught fire and increased it to 66.7% in the second quarter.  A 3-pointer from Alazaus at 7:21 got the lead into double digits, and Norling's free-throws at 1:27 gave the Mountain Cats a 31-20, before Pitt-Johnstown took a 36-24 lead into the break.
 
The Mountain Cats continued to build on their lead and outscored the Golden Knights, 22-12, in the third quarter to break it open.  The lead ballooned to 27 at the 1:27 mark on another bucket from Fasick, and Pitt-Johnstown never let it get closer than 16 the rest of the way.
 
Pitt-Johnstown held a 58-36 advantage after three quarters and cruised to the 19-point win.
 
The Mountain Cats wrapped-up the afternoon shooting 51.9% (27-52) from the floor, 10-21 (47.6%) from 3-point range, and 8-9 from the free-throw line.  Pitt-Johnstown also got the job done on the defensive end, holding Gannon to just 37.3% shooting, including just 2-15 from behind the 3-point line.  The Golden Knights were 13-17 from the charity stripe.
 
Delaney Dogan scored 16 points and grabbed five rebounds, while Samantha Pirosko and Sydney Mitchell scored nine points apiece for Gannon, which fell to 14-3 overall and 9-3 in the PSAC West.
 
SCHEDULE NOTE:  Pitt-Johnstown's home women's basketball game against Mercyhurst that was originally scheduled for February 16 has been moved to Monday, February 21 at 5:30 p.m. in the Sports Center.
 
Pitt-Johnstown travels to Mercyhurst on Monday to begin a stretch of four consecutive PSAC Western Division road games.  The Mountain Cats will then return home to host Slippery Rock as part of a conference doubleheader with the men's team on February 9 beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the Sports Center.