(Photo courtesy of Clarion University Athletics) 

Along with Smith, Alli McGrath scored 13 points and grabbed five rebounds, while Olivia Fasick had 13 points, and Maddie Shanahan added 10mpoints and a game-high nine rebounds for Pitt-Johnstown. Ashley Norling chipped-in seven points and seven rebounds off the bench.

McGrath’s 3-pointer with just under four minutes left in the opening quarter gave the Mountain Cats a 12-7 advantage, but Clarion scored 10 of the final 14 points to take McGrath, Allia slim, 17-16 lead on Ke’Airah Massiah 3-pointer.

Pitt-Johnstown regained the lead midway through the second quarter on Smith’s 3-pointer, the got a buck from Smith with 23 seconds remaining to go into the halftime break in front, 36-35.

The Mountain Cats pushed the lead out to nine entering the final quarter. After Makalyn Clapper’s 3-pointer gave Pitt-Johnstown a six-point lead, Linsdsay Shuke followed with one from behind the arc, and Norling knocked down a jumper late in the quarter to put the Mountain Cats on top, 57-48.

Fasick, OliviaNorling’s layup three minutes into the fourth quarter boosted the lead to 61-51.

The Golden Eagles were able to cut the deficit in half on two Emily Hegedus free-throws at 5:16, but Pitt-Johnstown rebuilt the lead back into double digits on Fasick’s bucket with 2:12 to play.

Shanahan and Smith combined to make 6-of-8 free throws in the final 1:16 to seal the 11-point Pitt-Johnstown victory.

Pitt-Johnstown, which outrebounded the Golden Eagles, 36-29, shot 48.1% (26-54) from the field and 7-17 from behind the arc, while holding Clarion to 41.1% (23-56) Shanahan, Maddieshooting, including 7-20 from 3-point range. The Mountain Cats were 16-19 from the charity stripe, and the Golden Eagles were 11-16.

Massiah (14 points), Celeste Ryman (13 points), and Yindia Bobo (10 points) all scored in double figures for Clarion, which dropped to 3-12 overall and 1-8 in the PSAC West.

Pitt-Johnstown improved to 8-7 overall and 3-6 in the PSAC West.