Pitt-Johnstown strung together a competitive second half, but it wasn't enough to climb all the way back in an 80-63 loss to Clarion on Saturday afternoon at Tippin Gymnasium.

The Mountain Cats fell to 2-14 (0-9 PSAC).

Junior Riley Childress paced the Mountain Cats with a season-high 22 points, which included a 3-for-3 mark from 3-point range and a 7-for-8 performance from the free throw line. Freshman M'laya Ainsworth notched career-highs of 18 points and nine rebounds. 

Sophomore Belle Bosch contributed 15 points, seven rebounds and a team-high four steals. Freshman Lydia Miller started her second career game and added four points in 28 minutes.

A late 3-pointer courtesy of Childress brought the Mountain Cats within 20-14 by the end of the opening quarter. But the next 10 minutes largely decided the outcome.

Clarion was 12-of-20 from the field and made four triples on the way to a 29-point second quarter that created separation. The hot shooting from the Golden Eagles put the Mountain Cats in a 49-33 deficit heading into the locker room.

The Mountain Cats cut the deficit to nine on two occasions early on in the third quarter on a 3-pointer from Ainsworth and again on a layup from Childress, but got no closer from that point forward. They went to the fourth quarter down 63-50. Childress and Bosch had nine of the Mountain Cats' 13 fourth quarter total.

The Mountain Cats compiled 19 points off 18 Clarion turnovers and only gave it away 15 times.

Malayziah Etheredge tallied a game-high 24 points for the Golden Eagles, who moved to 11-5 (5-4 PSAC).

Pitt-Johnstown visits IUP on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in the first game of a doubleheader with the men's team.