LATROBE, Pa. (Dec. 19) – The Saint Vincent women's basketball team used a balanced attack and timely shooting to secure a 65-44 victory over La Roche University Friday evening at the Robert S. Carey Center.
 
With the win, the Bearcats improve to 7-4 overall and 2-0 in PAC play, while La Roche falls to 3-7 on the season.
 
The Bearcats got off to a solid start and answered every challenge from the visiting Redhawks. After a low-scoring first quarter that saw La Roche ahead 16-13, SVC tightened its defense and began to pull away in the second half, specifically the fourth quarter.
 
Strong shooting and defensive pressure helped Saint Vincent build its advantage, culminating in a decisive fourth quarter where the Bearcats outscored La Roche 23-3 to put the game out of reach.
 
Senior guard Makenna Maier led the Bearcats offensively, pouring in 26 points on 9-of-20 shooting, including 8-of-16 from deep. Her sharpshooting kept SVC's offense rolling throughout the night.
 
Brooke Evans played a key role as well, finishing with 6 points and pulling down 10 rebounds, helping the Bearcats control the boards. Danielle Pontius added five points with a timely three-pointer, and Emerson Peffer was efficient with six points on perfect shooting, helping Saint Vincent extend its lead.
 
 Janay Rissmiller and Avina Norman also contributed with five and four points respectively as the Bearcats showcased their depth.
 
Defensively, Saint Vincent held La Roche to just 44 points on the night, forcing 21 turnovers and limiting the Redhawks' scoring opportunities. La Roche got strong efforts from Jazmine Dunn (20 points) and Kaitlyn Nease (16 points), but the Bearcats' defense clamped down in key moments and prevented sustained runs.

Saint Vincent will return to action on Wednesday, January 7 with a home PAC matchup against Franciscan. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in the Robert S. Carey Center.