MONACA, Pa. – The Westminster College women's basketball team opened the 2018-19 campaign with a 52-47 loss to non-conference opponent Penn State Beaver on the road Monday evening.
 
The first quarter went back-and-forth, with Westminster (0-1) holding a 7-5 lead at the 4:36 mark. However, Penn State Beaver (1-0) went on a 10-0 run to lead, 15-7, with 28 seconds remaining in the first. The Nittany Lions led, 15-9, at the end of one. In the second quarter, the Titans pulled within one point (15-14) after junior Emily Fromknecht (Erie, PA / McDowell) converted a free throw at the 9:01 mark. The Nittany Lions scored four-straight to take a 19-14 lead with 5:51 left to play in the second, and held a 23-18 advantage with 3:36 to go. Penn State Beaver led at halftime 26-20.
 
The Titans opened the second half with first-year Megan Polczynski (Irwin, PA / Norwin) making a layup and sophomore Ashley Russell (Belle Vernon, PA / Belle Vernon) converting a free throw to pull within three of the Nittany Lions (26-23). Penn State Beaver orchestrated another run, this time of seven points to lead, 33-23, with 3:13 left in the third. The Nittany Lions led, 41-28, at the end of three. The Titans outscored Penn State Beaver 13-4 in the first four and a half minutes of the fourth quarter and trailed by only four points (45-41) with 5:33 left in the game. After Mikayla Womer of the Nittany lions made a layup (47-41), Fromknecht and Polczynski each answered with a layup of their own to pull within two, 47-45, with 1:16 to play. Penn State Beaver made five of eight free throws down the stretch, and held the Titans to just two more points to win, 52-47.
 
Fromknecht recorded a game-high 15 points and a team-best eight rebounds and three steals. Senior Jackie Mathews (Pittsburgh, PA / OLSH) registered 10 points, five rebounds and two steals, while junior Aliya Gage (New Castle, PA / Mohawk) totaled seven points and seven rebounds. Polczynski finished with six points and pocketed one steal in her first collegiate game.
 
The Titans shot 32.7% (18-55) compared to Penn State Beaver's 28.3% (17-60). The Titans also edged the Nittany Lions in rebounds (39-37).
 
Westminster is back on the court Saturday, November 17 on the road against Nazareth College in the Susquehanna Tipoff Tourney. Start time is set for 6 p.m.