WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Led by the fifth career double-double from senior Kaitlyn Ober (Lititz, Pa./Warwick), the Lycoming College women's basketball team had a hot-shooting night to race out of Lamade Gymnasium with an 89-46 win over crosstown rival Penn College in non-conference action on Tuesday night to kick off Lycoming's 2010-11 season.
Ober had a balanced game, posting 18 points and 10 rebounds while adding four assists and three blocks for the Warriors (1-0 overall), who shot 51 percent (32-for-63) from the field and blocked 21 percent (11-of-52) of Penn College's shots.
The Warriors, who had six players score at least eight points, raced out to a 13-2 lead in the first 3:37, with Ober posting six points during the run and the team adding four fastbreak points during the run. From there, the Wildcats (1-1 overall) could get back within nine points just twice.
Midway through the first half, the Warriors started a 6-0 run to bring the lead to 15 points after a layup from junior Erin Connaghan (Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) made it 29-14 with 7:48 left. Once again the Wildcats whittled the lead down to 11 points with 3:30 left, but the Warriors ended the half on a 12-1 run to take a 42-20 lead into the half after junior Chelsea Shearer (East York, Pa./Dallastown) canned a trey with 41 seconds left.
Sophomore Rachael Scheller (Sunbury, Pa./Shikellamy) started the second half with a 3-pointer after a steal from sophomore Leeann Randall (Audobon, Pa./Methacton) and the Warriors started another 9-0 run to take a 31-point lead with 16:27 left and Penn College never got within 30 after that. The Warriors continued to build the lead, with sophomore Emily Mixell (Reinholds, Pa./Conrad Weiser) hitting a free throw with seven seconds to make the final margin 43 points.
Ober hit 7-of-8 shots from the field to lead the Warriors and she was a perfect 4-for-4 from the line for her 18 points and Connaghan added career-highs of nine points, five assists and five steals in a balanced effort.
"Kaitlyn will be able to do that every night if we have the help around her," Lycoming head coach Christen Ditzler said. "Erin did what she can do (Tuesday) and didn't try to do what she can't and that's why she had such a nice game."
The Warriors also got solid games from Scheller and Randall, each of whom posted 13 points. Scheller canned all three of her 3-point attempts and she added three assists. Randall hit two treys and added three assists and four steals.
Mixell posted eight points, three rebounds and two steals and freshman Katelyn McKillop (Mount Pocono, Pa./Pocono Mountain West) added eight points, five rebounds and two steals. All 11 players that dressed for the Warriors scored in the game and eight offered up blocked shots, as the Warriors notched 11 in the game, including two from senior Rebecca Spencer (Granville Summitt, Pa./Troy).
Kierstin Steer led Penn College, posting 16 points and six rebounds. Katherine Lisi added eight points, four rebounds and two steals and Danielle Trout added four points, four rebounds and three steals. Hilary Rice posted seven points, five boards and four assists.
The Warriors get back in action on Friday when they head to Messiah College for the Hampton Inn Tip-Off Classic, where they will face Rowan at 5:30 p.m. The team wraps up the classic on Saturday with a 1 p.m. game against Pitt-Greensburg.