Schuylkill Holds Strong in Final Seconds to Edge Mont Alto, 56-53

Penn State Schuylkill's women's basketball team traveled to Mont Alto and left with a nail-biting 56-53 win. The Lions built an early 13-point lead, powered by clutch plays from Serena Jones and Ava Novak. However, Mont Alto's Dariana Perez spearheaded a fierce comeback with a game-high 27 points, including five three-pointers.

Key moments came in the fourth quarter as Schuylkill's defense held strong despite Mont Alto trimming the lead to one point with seconds to go. Tajae Stevenson iced the game with two critical free throws, finishing with 12 points and six made from the line.

Nadia King and Ava Novak contributed 14 points each, with King adding crucial late-game layups. Serena Jones was dominant on the boards, securing 13 rebounds, and Novak added four steals.

Perez's scoring surge, aided by Shanez Morales (9 rebounds, 7 points), kept Mont Alto within striking distance, but missed opportunities at the free-throw line proved costly.

STAT LEADERS:

• Penn State Schuylkill: Serena Jones (13 points, 13 rebounds), Ava Novak (14 points, 4 steals), Tajae Stevenson (12 points)
• Penn State Mont Alto: Dariana Perez (27 points, 12 rebounds), Brooklyn Merryman (7 points, 2 assists)

Schuylkill now improves to 16-4 on the season and 14-1 in conference play.

Tajae Stevenson became the all-time leading scorer in PSU Schuylkill history with 1,353 total points - Congratulations, Tajae!