ERIE, Pa. -- A strong second half allowed host Penn State Behrend to earn a 74-59 victory over the Washington & Jefferson College women's basketball team Tuesday evening in a non-conference game at the Junker Center in Erie. 

The loss snaps W&J's four-game winning streak and drops the Presidents to 5-3 overall. The win improves Penn State Behrend to 8-1 in 2021-22. 

The 74 points was a season-high by a W&J opponent. The Lions scored at least 19 points in three of the four quarters and put the game away with 25 points during the fourth quarter. 

W&J put together its best shooting showing in the opening quarter of the game. A three-point basket by Adalynn Cherry (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area) gave W&J an early 3-2 lead. An extended run allowed Behrend to build a double-digit lead at 19-9 with 2:12 to play in the first quarter. The Presidents closed the fourth quarter with seven straight points to close within three points. Bryn Bezjak (Uniontown, Pa./Albert Gallatin) commenced the run with a three-point field goal. Aleena McDaniel (Morgantown, W.Va./Morgantown) and Dryburgh added field goals on back-to-back possesions to trim the deficit to 19-16 after the first. 

A steal and layup by Bezjak gave the Presidents a 24-22 lead at the 6:37 mark of the second quarter. Behrend used six consecutive points to regain the lead, a 28-24 advantage with 3:32 left until halftime. A pair of free throws by Victoria Koeck (Sidman, Pa./Forest Hills) brought W&J within two (30-28) at the break. 

A cold-shooting third quarter hindered the Presidents chances to earn their fifth straight win. W&J made just three-of-16 field goal attempts in the frame, as Behrend outscored the Red and Black by a 19-9 margin to take control of the game. The Presidents closed within eight points on three seperate occasions in the fourth quarter but could get no closer. 

Sarah Berardelli (Ambridge, Pa./North Catholic) paced the Presidents with 10 points. Meghan Dryburgh (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) finished with eight points, a team-high 12 rebounds and a team-high four assists. 

Penn State Behrend held decisive advantages in second chance points (23-7) and points in the paint (44-22). Alana Dibble registered a game-high 23 points and a game-high 16 rebounds to lead the Lions in the victory. 

After breaking for final exams, W&J returns to the court with a PAC game against Bethany on Wednesday, Dec. 15. Tip off is scheduled for 6 p.m.