BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The William Paterson women's basketball team (6-5) defeated Penn State – Lehigh Valley (6-4) in the first round of the Roosevelt's 21st Greyhound Classic hosted by Moravian College Dec. 30.
 
Junior Julie Rovito (Ridgefield Park, N.J./Ridgefield Park) led the Pioneers with a game-high 20 points while also grabbing 11 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. Senior Tori Woetzel (Wyckoff, N.J./Ramapo) had a huge game on the glass, hauling in 17 total rebounds, including 11 on the offensive end to help the Pioneers garner 22 second chance points. Freshman Ema Jacketti (Beacon, N.Y./Beacon) also had a big game for the Orange and Black, scoring a career-best 12 points off the bench behind 4-of-8 (.500) shooting. Andrea Watkins led the Nittany Lions with 15 points and seven rebounds.
 
Despite shooting below 30 percent (.299), the Pioneers only trailed once when Hannah Brooks hit a jumper 56 seconds into the game for the Nittany Lions. WP took complete control from there however, outscoring Penn State, 19-7, during the opening 10 minutes. The Pioneers took an 11-point lead (28-17) into halftime and eventually pulled away by as many as 16 (35-19) at the 7:47 mark of the third quarter. WP outscored the Nittany Lions in each of the final two periods to come away with the 14-point victory.
 
With the win, the Pioneers will now face the host Greyhounds of Moravian, who defeated Alleghany in the second game of the day, 88-67, in the Championship game, Sunday, Dec. 31, at 1:00 p.m.


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