ABINGTON, PA- The Penn State Abington women's basketball team opened their season with a dominating 78-45 win over Cairn University on Friday night. Eleven of Abington's twelve players got on the board tonight to contribute to the team's first win of the season.
 
Leading the Nittany Lions was sophomore transfer Ashya Gaddy (Philadelphia, PA) who contributed 14 points, 5 assists, and 5 steals for Abington. Behind her was sophomore Wynter Bess (Philadelphia, PA) who sank 13 buckets with 3 assists and 3 steals. The third Nittany Lions to earn double digits tonight was senior Sydney Barrow (Philadelphia, PA) who scored 12 points, forced 5 steals, and 4 earned assists.
 
Abington got off to a slow first quarter, with a scoreless game until Wynter Bess got the team momentum flowing four minutes in with a successful lay-up that turned into a three-point play. The Nittany Lions went on to score 13 of their 16 first quarter points in the paint.
 
Abington started to heat up in the second quarter. Three Nittany lions drained shots from behind the arc including Laquana Nagbe (Philadelphia, PA), Wynter Bess, and sophomore Lacy MacLachlin (Boyertown, PA) who was 2-3, to help Abington go into the half with the 40-18 advantage. The Nittany Lions continued their team momentum, scoring half of their third quarter points off of turnovers. As a team, Abington forced 18 steals from the Highlanders.
 
In their first collegiate outing, freshmen Dakiya Daniels (Vernon Hills, IL) finished the night with six points, while Rebecca Magrone-Stahly (West Chester, PA) contributed three. Senior Laquana Nagbe was a perfect 2-2 from three, and fellow senior Alyssa O'Mara earned her first two points of the season, while also leading Abington with 7 rebounds.
 
Up next the Nittany Lions will travel to Neumann University on Tuesday for a 7:00pm game