WEST CHESTER, PA – Kyra Jefferson (Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom) scored a career-high 21 points as West Chester opened Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) play with a 62-54 victory over visiting Pitt-Johnstown Friday evening inside Hollinger Field House.
West Chester (3-3/1-0 PSAC) picked up back-to-back wins for the first time this winter. Pitt-Johnstown (2-4/0-1) dropped its second straight. Jefferson chipped in eight rebounds along with her 21 points.
"I think Kyra (Jefferson) played the way we wanted her to play and the way we needed her to play in a very crucial game at a very crucial time," WCU head coach Kiera Wooden said about West Chester's 19-8 fourth quarter. "She wasn't going to let us lose."
Alexa Abbonizio (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) contributed 11 and Nancy Ruf (Fair Lawn, NJ/Fair Lawn) added a career-best nine as well for the Golden Rams, who outscored the Mountain Lions, 19-8, in the fourth quarter to come from behind in the second half and score the win.
"(Nancy) hasn't been in there for those big moments before," Wooden added. "But, I was tired of their big girl grabbing all those rebounds, so I told her to get in there and start rebounding,"
Ruf made seven of nine free throws and grabbed four rebounds in 15 minutes of work – most of that in the fourth quarter. Conversely, UPJ shot just 17.6 percent from the field in the fourth and went just 1-for-9 from beyond the 3-point line.
West Chester returns to Hollinger Saturday night for a 5:30 p.m. contest against No. 10 Indiana (Pa.).
