
Penn State Shenango secured a 68-56 victory over Penn State New Kensington on Monday night, advancing to the second round of the PSUAC playoffs. With the win, the Lions improve to 16-8 overall. They will face Penn State Beaver on Wednesday night at 6 PM in the next round.
Shenango established control early, leading 16-12 after the first quarter and extending their advantage to 35-22 by halftime. Despite a third-quarter push from New Kensington, Shenango's balanced offensive attack and dominance on the boards sealed the win.
Hailee Aguinaga led the Lions with a standout performance, scoring 16 points while grabbing 19 rebounds, including eight on the offensive glass. Shar'Da Williamson added a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds, while Aneziah Fryer provided a spark off the bench, contributing nine points on 3-for-4 shooting from beyond the arc.
Gabrielle King and Azaria Bryant Franklin each added eight points for Shenango. The Lions' defense was active throughout the night, forcing 16 turnovers and collecting eight steals, with Caroline Kuchling and Jaysina Sellers combining for three of those takeaways.
Penn State New Kensington (6-16, 6-11) was led by Destiny Batiste, who scored a game-high 16 points, including three three-pointers. Tori Johnson chipped in 13 points and six rebounds, but the visitors struggled from the field, shooting just 28.6% overall.
Shenango held a significant edge on the glass, outrebounding New Kensington 45-31, including 16 offensive boards that led to crucial second-chance points.
With the win, Penn State Shenango moves on to face a tough Penn State Beaver squad in the second round of the PSUAC playoffs. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 PM Wednesday night as the Lions look to continue their postseason run.