Hazleton back in the win column with 84-49 win over Schuylkill

Hazleton, Pa. - The first day of the spring semester started on a positive note as the Lady Lions kicked off the second half of the season with an 84-49 win over Penn State Schuylkill in the Dr. Thomas M. Caccese Gymnasium on Monday.

Hazleton forced 13 first-half turnovers and shot 50 percent from the floor to build a 53-19 lead by the midway point. That 34 point cushion would prove more than enough in the second half as the Lady Lions cruised in the final two quarters. Ultimately the Lions would out-shoot Schuylkill with a 40 percent effort from the field while holding their opponent to just 30 percent on the night and won the turnover battle by a margin of 14 to pull off their first conference win of the season.  

Four Lady Lions topped double-figures in win led by senior Mckenzie Prutsman (Jasper, Ny.) who came up just two steals shy of a triple double. Prutsman started slow but erupted in the second quarter for 11 points and six assists, sparking a 31 point quarter for Hazleton. The senior would finish the night with stellar numbers, totaling 24 points, 10 assists, eight steals and seven rebounds. 

Sophomore Lauren Pataki (Hazleton, Pa.) came in close behind with a 19 point outing in the win. Pataki connected for three triples on the night and finished the game going 8-for-15 from the floor for a season high 53.3 percent shooting from the field. Rounding out Monday's top efforts were sophomore Kendra Pfeil (Hazleton, Pa.) who finished the night with 16 points and junior Mekenzie Wolfe (Grove City, Pa.) who added 14 points and nine rebounds in the win. 

Next up: The Lady Lions hope to continue their hot start as conference play continues in the east. Hazleton will travel to Penn State Scranton on Wednesday, January 9 for a 6:00 p.m. tip-off.