WILKES-BARRE – Gianna Roberts (Nanticoke, PA/Nanticoke) led three Lady Colonels in double figures finishing with a team-high 15 points and nine rebounds as Wilkes University held off a furious second half surge from Penn State Hazleton to hold onto a 70-66 victory Monday night at the Marts Center.
 
Wilkes improves to 5-14 overall snapping an eight-game losing skid in the process. Penn State Hazleton suffered its third defeat moving to 13-3 overall on the season.
 
Wilkes jumped out to a 9-0 lead thanks to two scores from Missy Oertner (Schnecksville, PA/Parkland) and a bucket inside from Roberts. The Lady Colonel lead continued to grow as a three-pointer from Amber Grohowski (Nanticoke, PA/Nanticoke) and two free throws from Nicole Farrell (Blairstown, NJ/North Warren) pushed the advantage to 17-2 with 4:18 left in the first quarter. Penn State Hazleton chipped away at the Wilkes lead coming to within seven at 27-20 midway through the second quarter, but back-to-back Asdone Hooper (Hanover, PA/Hanover Area) treys and a Ashley Haywood (Stuyvesant, NY/Virginia Episcopal) three-pointer put the hosts back in front at the break by double digits 46-29.
 
The Wilkes lead dwindled to just five points late in the third quarter as PSU Hazleton used the charity stripe to do its damage with the clock stopped. Stephanie Guevara hit seven of her fifteen made free throws in the third frame with the final two bringing the score to 51-46 with 2:28 left in the frame. A layup by Roberts followed by an old-fashioned three-point play from Hooper kept Wilkes out ahead 60-49 after three quarters.
 
PSU Hazleton continued to keep pressure on the Wilkes defense drawing multiple fouls in the first four minutes of the final quarter. Four straight free throws and two transition scores from Guevara and McKenzie Prutsman brought the visitors to within two with Wilkes leading 62-60 with 3:30 remaining. Layups from Oertner and Roberts followed more free throws from PSU Hazleton setting up the final minute of play with Wilkes leading 68-65. After a Wilkes foul gave PSU Hazleton two free throws, Guevara made one of two to cut the lead to two again, but Haley Mesaos hit four clutch free throws over the final thirty seconds to seal the non-league win for Wilkes.
 
Hooper joined Roberts in double figures finishing with a season-high 13 points off the bench including two three-pointers. Mesaros added 10 points and ten rebounds. Oertner chipped in eight points, six boards and three assists.
 
Guevara led all scorers with a game-high 22 points and 15 rebounds going 15-of-19 from the free throw line.
 
Wilkes returns to MAC Freedom play Wednesday traveling to Madison, N.J. for a matchup with defending league champion FDU-Florham at 6:00 p.m.