It was a tough night for the Pitt-Johnstown women's basketball team.  Mercyhurst used a hot start to climb out to a lead and went on to a 65-45 PSAC West win over the Mountain Cats, Monday evening in the Sports Center.
 
Cassidy Crawford scored eight points and pulled down five rebounds off the bench, and Peyton Alazaus added eight points for the Mountain Cats, who continue to hold the sixth spot in the PSAC West for the upcoming conference tournament.  Pitt-Johnstown is now 11-15 overall and 9-11 in conference-play.
 
The Mountain Cats also got seven points, six rebounds, and three assists from Olivia Fasick, seven points and five rebounds from Makalyn Clapper, and seven points from Hayden Taylor.  Molly Wagoner collected three points, a team-high seven rebounds and a game-high five blocks.
 
The Lakers were hot early.  Mercyhurst hit eight of its 12 first quarter shots to climb out to a 23-14 lead.  Jayde Boyd's bucket at 3:09 put the Lakers on top 18-5, but the Mountain Cats responded with a 9-3 run, capped by baskets from Kylah Franklin and Taylor, to cut it to 21-14 with under a minute remaining.  Two Ava Wade free-throws with six seconds put Mercyhurst on top by nine.
 
Pitt-Johnstown continued to battle and got a putback from Crawford and a basket from Clapper with 1:38 left in the second quarter to cut it to 33-22.
 
However, the Mountain Cats just couldn't keep the momentum going and Mercyhurst was able to maintain the lead throughout the second half and went on to the win.
 
Boyd finished with game-highs of 24 points and 11 rebounds, and Grace Centrulla had 12 points and seven rebounds for the Lakers now 9-17 overall and 7-12 in the PSAC West.
 
Pitt-Johnstown will wrap-up its regular season with PSAC road games at Seton Hill on Wednesday and IUP on Saturday, before the 2022 PSAC Women's Basketball Tournament begins on Feb. 28.