UTICA, NY - For the second straight year, the Penn State Abington women's basketball team advanced to the NEAC tournament, but the Nittany Lions couldn't move to the next round. The women's basketball team fell to SUNY Poly 78-66 on Tuesday night at the Campus Center Gym.

In her final game, senior Janaiah Elum (Philadelphia, Pa.) led the Nittany Lions with 20 points and four assists. Senior Mallory Mugnier (Glenside, Pa.) played solid defense with 10 rebounds, three steals, and a block.

The Nittany Lions were ineffective against the Wildcats in their 82-28 loss earlier in February, but this time around the Nittany Lions fared much better.

In a sloppy first quarter, neither team could pull away with seven combined turnovers in the first few minutes of play.  The Nittany Lions held a slight edge, but the Wildcats shut down defense led them to a 12-1 run in the final five minutes of the period.

The Wildcats took over in the second period when they extended their lead with solid shooting from the floor. Five points from Elum in the second period couldn't close the gap for the Nittany Lions.

In the second half, Abington started to rally with four shots from behind the arc between four players. Unfortunately the Wildcats were able to answer the Nittany Lions.

Sophomore Brittany Keyes (Huntingdon, Pa.) brought the Nittany Lions back within seven points with her shot from the floor. Abington was forced to foul the Wildcats and send them to the free-throw line, but the host hit their shots to advance to the NEAC semifinals.