LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - The Penn State Altoona women's basketball team finished 2025 on the road Tuesday afternoon against non-conference opponent Lock Haven, losing a tight 56-51 game to the Bald Eagles.  

The score was tight throughout the game, with Penn State Altoona (6-5, 1-1 AMCC) only losing 20-22 at halftime. The fourth quarter saw the largest points gap between the two teams with Lock Haven (6-4, 2-2 PSAC) outscoring the Lions 14-10.  

Lanie Wilt (Altoona, PA/Altoona) led the Lions in scoring, grabbing 15 points as well as six rebounds, two assists, and three steals. Avana Sayles (Venetia, PA/Peters Township) was not far behind in scoring, getting 12 points along with nine rebounds and three assists, both of which were team-highs. 

Lock Haven was led in scoring by Rhlyn Rouse, who scored a game-high 18 points. Jenadia Jordan and Alana Robinson added 14 and 10 points respectively.  

The Bald Eagles started the game on the front foot, scoring a jumper, three-pointer, and two free throws in the first two-and-a-half minutes. Wilt scored a three-pointer at 8:38 to break up Lock Haven's run. In the final minute of the quarter, Ellie Irvin (Calvin, PA/Southern Huntingdon) scored a three-pointer with Madison Rusnica (DuBois, PA / DuBois) adding a driving layup close Lock Haven's lead to four.  

The second quarter was characterized by both teams dominating parts of it. Starting at 8:49, Penn State Altoona went on a 17-3 run that lasted over half of the quarter. During the run, Sayles scored eight points, Wilt scored four, Allyana Stephens (Johnstown, PA/Bishop McCort) scored three, and Halle Kuzminski (Warren, PA/Warren) scored two. With the run, the Lions took a 30-22 lead. The Bald Eagles punched back though, going on a 10-0 run in the final two minutes of the quarter to head into the halftime break leading by two points.  

The third quarter was the tightest quarter in terms of scoring as both teams had their worst field goal percentages of the game, with Lock Haven having a field goal percentage of 28.6% and Penn State Altoona sitting at 13.3%. For comparison, in the second quarter, Lock Haven's field goal percentage was 40% while Penn State Altoona's field goal percentage was 50%.  

Despite the low field goal percentage, the Lions outscored the Bald Eagles 11-10, with over half of the Lions' points coming in the final six minutes. In those final six minutes, Wilt converted three free throws and Rusnica scored a three pointer to get within a point of the Bald Eagles.  

The Lions came out in the fourth quarter trying to get the victory. Wilt and Haley Hicks (Wylie, TX/Wylie East) both got baskets to give Penn State Altoona a 45-42 lead. Following a basket from Kuzminski, the Lions retook the lead at 6:21. Unfortunately, it would not be enough as the Bald Eagles went on a 7-2 run in the final three minutes of the game to claim victory, winning 56-51.  

In their next game, Penn State Altoona women's basketball will resume conference play, traveling to Hamburg, New York to face the Hilbert Hawks on Wednesday, January 7 at 1:00 p.m.