COMMODORE — When the Curwensville girls basketball team played Purchase Line late last season, the Lady Tide found themselves on the wrong end of a 74-12 decision.
In Monday’s 2024-25 season opener, Curwensville matched that point total by the end of the first quarter and ended up more than doubling its offensive output against the Lady Dragons.
Unfortunately for the Lady Tide, turnovers were a big problem in the first half and Purchase Line was able to build a 30-point advantage at the break before settling for a 63-29 home victory.
Curwensville committed 14 turnovers in the first quarter and had 23 by the half, which helped the Lady Dragons score 26 points in both the first and second quarters and hold a 52-22 lead heading to the third quarter.
The Lady Tide took a 2-0 lead before a second even ticked off the clock as Karleigh Freyer drained a pair of free throws after the Purchase Line coach was hit for an administrative technical foul when the Lady Dragons ran behind the baseline where Curwensville was warming up in pregame.
Freyer scored five of her team-high 12 points in the first quarter, helping the Lady Tide take a 7-4 lead. The game was tied at 9-9 midway through the opening frame, but Purchase Line ended on 17-3 run to take a 26-12 advantage into the second.
Lady Dragon freshman Alora Phillips netted 11 points in the quarter, while her classmate Rylee Mahaffey scored seven. The freshmen tandem ended the game with 15 and 17 points, respectively, to pace Purchase Line.
“I feel like that was a good first game for us,” Curwensville head coach Dawna Wheeler said. “I don’t think we played terribly, and definitely had the first-game jitters. We started out well, but could not keep up with the intensity of Purchase Line.”
After Freyer opened the second quarter with a bucket, Purchase Line netted the next 14 points to take a 40-14 advantage. The Lady Dragons drilled three 3-pointers, two by senior Jianna Hopkins, in the second quarter to help extend the lead.
Briah People scored five points for Curwensville in the second quarter and ended up joining Freyer in double figures for the game with 10.
With the 30-point difference on the scoreboard to start the second half, the Mercy Rule Clock was in effect.
Both teams scored just seven points in the third. Freyer and Peoples had all seven of the Lady Tide’s points in the stanza, which ended with Purchase Line in front 59-29.
The Lady Dragons scored the only four points of the fourth to set the final.
“We still have a lot of things to work on,” Wheeler said. “Our schedule doesn’t let up. We have Williamsburg on Friday.”
Freyer and Peoples each grabbed six rebounds for the Lady Tide. Mahaffey had seven for Purchase Line.
The Lady Dragons are back in action Thursday, hosting Portage. Curwensville welcomes Williamsburg to Patton Hall on Dec. 6.
Curwensville—29
Briah Peoples 4 2-4 10, Addison Warren 1 2-3 4, Natalie Wischuck 0 1-2 1, Brooklynn Price 0 0-2 0, Karleigh Freyer 3 6-10 12, Janelle Passmore 0 2-2 2, Jayda Gaul 0 0-2 0, Maddie Sheredy 0 0-0 0, Kylah Wos 0 0-0 0, Jovee Elensky 0 0-0 0, Maddie Anderson 0 0-0 0, Riann Clark 0 0-0 0. Totals: 8 13-25 29.
Purchase Line—63
Alora Phillips 7 0-3 15, Rylee Mahaffey 7 2-4 17, Bella Cessna 3 1-2 7, Jianna Hopkins 3 2-2 10, Katie Weaver 2 0-1 4, Lauren McCombs 2 0-0 4, Hannah Johns 2 1-3 5, Ava Mattis 0 0-0 0, McKenzie Mumau 0 0-0 0, Madison Friday 0 1-2 1. Totals: 26 7-17 63.
Three-pointers: Purchase Line 4 (Phillips, Hopkins 2, Mahaffey).
Score by Quarters
Curwensville 12 10 7 0—29
Purchase Line 26 26 7 4—63
LADY TIDE SCOREBOARD:
Date Opponent Score Record
12/02 @ Purchase Line 29 – 63 0 – 1
12/06 WILLIAMSBURG
12/09 JOHNSONBURG
12/12 JUNIATA VALLEY
12/13 @ Union
12/17 CLAYSBURG-KIMMEL
12/19 GLENDALE
12/23 PURCHASE LINE
01/06 WEST BRANCH
01/09 @ Moshannon Valley
01/14 @ Williamsburg
01/16 @ Bucktail
01/20 @ Juniata Valley
01/23 @ Glendale
01/27 KANE
01/28 @ Keystone
01/30 @ West Branch
02/03 MOSHANNON VALLEY
02/05 @ Mt. Union
02/06 CRANBERRY
02/10 UNION
02/13 @ Clearfield
