Cyphert, Burnsworth carry WBB to win
New Kensington, PA - Four starters scored in double figures Wednesday night for the Penn State Fayette women's basketball team, but super sub Carissa Cyphert (Scottsdale, PA/Southmoreland HS) was the difference in the team's 62-53 win at Penn State New Kensington.
"It was one of our sloppiest games all year, but it is always good to get a in on the road," said head coach Scott Hillen. "Carissa kept us in it in the second quarter. Playing against a bigger team, we were in a funk most of the game. However, the girls stuck together and pulled it off."
Cyphert hit all three of her attempts from beyond the arc in the decisive second quarter.
Trailing 13-12 after one quarter of the Pennsylvania State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) game, Fayette (14-6 overall, 9-4 PSUAC) held a 17-8 advantage in the second behind Cyphert's nine points to take a 29-21 lead into halftime.
The teams played evenly in the third and New Kensington (2-18, 1-12) would get no closer than three points in the fourth.
Fayette struggled from the field as it shot 32% (22-68) for the game while New Kensington only shot 29% (20-69).
Dae-lin Burnsworth (Monarch, PA/Connellsville HS) led Fayette with 16 points while Brooke Poling (Perryopolis, PA/Frazier HS) scored 13 and both Taylor McCormick (Laurel, MD/Eleanor Roosevelt HS) and Kaitlyn Riley (Charleroi, PA/Charleroi HS) scored 11. Riley also grabbed a team-high 13 rebounds.
Scoreless in the first half, Burnsworth scored four points in the third quarter and 12 in the fourth to help put the game away.
"Much like Carissa was a spark in the first half, Dae-lin stepped up in the second half," Hillen said.
Kierra Rose paced New Kensington with 15 points.
The win strengthens Fayette's hold on second place in the West division.
Fayette, which has now won five games in a row for the second time this season, hosts Penn State Mont Alto Saturday in a PSUAC conference game. Tipoff is set for 1 PM.
For more information on the women's basketball team, go to https://www.psfathletics.com/sports/wbkb/index or follow us on Instagram @fayetteathletics.