New Kensington trails with turnovers as its downfall

LEMONT FURNACE, Pa. – After Fayette women's basketball produced 20 points off of New Kensington's 25 turnovers on Friday, New Kensington couldn't manage to bounce back and had to face an 84-63 upset. With this PSUAC loss, New Kensington is set back to 1-5, while Fayette improves to 5-1.

While keeping it a tight contest for the start of the first quarter, New Kensington tied up the score twice and paced with Fayette to keep it a one possession game, until the host broke away. Fayette closed out the quarter 20-14, while going 3 for 10 from the arc and converting 5 of 6 free throws.

Taylor McCormick led Fayette in the second quarter with nine points. The team shot 9 for 19 field goals against New Kensington's 4 of 14. After outscoring New Kensington within these ten minutes, Fayette kept pushing itself ahead, finishing the half with a 42-27 advantage.

During the third, Erika Finn (New Kensington, Pa./ Burrell) and Auveonna Perkins (Arnold, Pa./ Valley) both produced six points apiece to set New Kensington on top of Fayette for the quarter. New Kensington attempted 9 of 22 shots, which outdid Fayette's 5 of 22. Finn contributed two of New Kensington's three three-pointers. At the end of the quarter, New Kensington was still down, 59-48, even though it outscored the host.

With one quarter remaining, Perkins put in 7 points to aid New Kensington's efforts. Fayette managed to score big in the ten minutes given, and went 10 for 20 in field goal attempts and sunk three three-pointers. Again, McCormick paced with nine points to lead Fayette's offense.

Landing several points within each quarter, Ryleigh Beck (Saegertown, Pa./ Maplewood) was New Kensington's forefront for scoring with 17 points, while also adding three assists and two steals. Perkins was the next high scorer, pacing with 15 points, and was the leading rebounder with a season high of 15. Finn compiled 14 points and three assists, and Deshaya Chavis (Penn Hills, Pa./ Penn Hills) totaled another three assists.

McCormick led Fayette with 19 points and 10 assists. Anaejah Harris and Brooke Poling put in 14 points apiece, each also adding eight and nine rebounds respectively.

New Kensington will play again in one week, Friday, as they host Butler County Community College at 6 p.m., while Fayette returns to action on Jan. 14 against Penn State Greater Allegheny with tipoff being at 6 p.m.

Written by Janet Surma