Grantham, PA – Messiah College used a 22-4 run in the first-half to build a large lead and eventually win big over Penn State-Harrisburg, 64-36. Kaitlyn Hoff led all scorers with 16 points, with both Hannah Nichols (13) and Sienna Wisse (10) also scoring double-digits for the Falcons.
 
Hoff had a big night with 16 points, six assists, and six rebounds, all against just two turnovers. She shot 5-9 from the field and 4-4 from the free-throw line. She also hit both of her three-point attempts.
 
"We were comfortable shooting tonight, which was great to see," Messiah head coach Mike Miller said. "We had room to shoot and we didn't rush. We knocked down shots that need to be knocked down."
 
The Falcons led the Lions 9-6 with 15:23 to play in the first-half when they went on their huge run. Gillian Glackin and Hoff each scored six points to help Messiah go up 31-10, with their 22-4 streak taking the clock down to 3:31.
 
A jumper by Glackin with 15 seconds to play gave Messiah a 35-14 lead heading into halftime.
 
In the second-half Messiah continued to build their lead, with a three-pointer by Hoff giving Messiah a 39-19 lead with 14:12 to play. That would be their largest lead, but they would not lead by less than 25 the rest of the way.
 
Like Hoff, Nichols and Wisse also shot well from the field. The seniors combined to go 10-14 from the field for their 23 points. Glackin finished with eight points and a game-high nine rebounds. She also handed out three assists.
 
The Falcons pressured well throughout the night, with their 33 forced turnovers leading to 31 points. They also outscored Penn State 26-12 in the paint, though just four points came in transition.
 
"On the defensive end we did a lot to frustrate them," Miller said. "We worked hard all over the court, and our girls did a great job of converting the extra opportunities."
 
The win pushed Messiah to 2-3 on the season while Penn State fell to 1-4.
 
"Before the game, we talked about working hard on a night that some teams take likely," Miller said, referencing the short Thanksgiving break. "Our program has done a great job over the years of working hard on nights like this. I'm proud that our girls did that again tonight."
 
The Falcons will next play on Saturday, Nov. 29 when they host Lebanon Valley at 3:00 p.m. The game will open the Commonwealth season and will be followed the men's game at 5:00 p.m.