ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The Cedar Crest College basketball team was defeated by Penn State Abington, 81-69, in a United East Conference matchup on Wednesday night at Lees Gymnasium.

The Nittany Lions began the game on an 11-0 run, capped off by a triple from sophomore Amina Reid (Philadelphia, Pa.) with 7:21 to play in the opening quarter. The Falcons chipped away at the deficit, pulling into within seven, 14-7, following a layup from senior Rachel Bilger (Philadelphia, Pa./Upper Dublin) with 4:39 on the clock. Cedar Crest got to within three, 18-15, after another basket from Bilger. The visitors would maintain control the rest of the frame and enter the second stanza with a 23-19 advantage.

After Penn State Abington went up 29-27 in the second quarter, the Falcons went on a 7-0 run to snag a five-point lead, 34-29, finished off by a layup from sophomore Caylie Long (Powder Springs, Ga./Hillgrove) with 4:45 on the clock. Cedar Crest stretched its margin to as many as six, 39-33, in the closing minutes of the frame, but the Nittany Lions closed on a 6-2 mini-run cut the Falcons' lead to two, 41-39, at the intermission.

Cedar Crest held the lead until a little past the midway point of the third quarter. The Falcons were up 48-45 after a jump shot by Bilger, but Penn State Abington answered with a 10-0 run to build a 55-48 advantage. The home team cut away at the deficit and only trailed by two, 57-55, entering the final quarter of action.
The Nittany Lions extended its margin at the start of the fourth stanza with a 8-0 run to push its lead back to 10, 65-55. Penn State Abington led by as many as 15 in the final minutes and came away with the 12-point win, 81-69.

The Nittany Lions had four players in double figures, paced by junior Nia Newman (Rockville, Md.), who finished with 26 points, six rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Reid followed with 16 points, two boards, four assists, and two steals. Sophomore Layla Reid (Philadelphia, Pa.) pitched in 12 points, five caroms, three assists, and two steals. Junior Tori Tolson (Upper Marlboro, Md.) added 10 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and two steals.

Long guided Cedar Crest with 24 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and two steals. Senior Bryanna Rivera (Reading, Pa./Greenfield (Mass.)) collected 13 points, one board, one assist, and one steal. First-year Maliya Gonzalez (Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom) turned in 13 points, five rebounds, five assists, and one steal. Bilger closed out the Falcons double-digit scorers with 10 points and eight boards.

Cedar Crest (1-3 overall, 0-2 United East) will begin a four-game road trip, beginning on Saturday, December 7 at St. Mary's College of Maryland. Tip-off is at 1:00 p.m. Penn State Abington (5-2 overall, 2-0 United East) will return to action at Penn State Harrisburg on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.