Crusaders Defeat Cougars on the Road for 16th Win

Frederick, MD – On January 31, 2024, the Lady Crusaders defeated the Frederick Community College Cougars to a tune of 77-43.

Both teams came out strong in the first quarter, and the Cougars scored the first bucket of the game. The Crusaders quickly answered with a midrange shot by Catherine Thomas (Junior/Corpus Christi, TX) and two consecutive three-pointers by Mary Pennefather (Freshman/Manassas, VA).  The Crusaders led for the rest of the quarter and ended the first period up 12-8.

The Crusaders extended their lead in the second quarter with stellar offense and strong defense. Miranda Keller (Junior/Harrisburg, PA) scored the first basket of the period with a nice post move, and Lili Speier (Senior/Phoenix, AZ) hit a midrange shot to keep building the Crusader lead. The Crusaders held the Cougars to 8 points in the second quarter, going into halftime with a 32-16 lead. 

Despite increased defensive pressure by the Cougars, Christendom dominated the second half. Regina Bonvissuto (Junior/Kingston Springs, TN) gave the Crusader offense a spark during the third quarter, as she connected on two three-point attempts.  The Crusaders continued to play tough defense, outscoring the Cougars 25-16 in the third quarter. They brought this momentum with them into the fourth quarter, where they again bested the Cougars 20-11, sealing the 77-43 victory.

The Crusader offense clicked well throughout the game. Thomas led the Crusaders in scoring with a double-double of 27 points and 18 rebounds. Mary Pennefather had an excellent game, with a triple-double of 22 points, 14 rebounds, and an incredible 15 assists. Miranda Keller also notched a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Up next – The Lady Crusaders travel to take on the Penn State Fayette Nittany Lions on Saturday, February 3, at 12:00pm.