BACK ON TRACK YSU snaps losing streak

The Penguins continued their dominanceover Robert Morris.
By DOUG CHAPIN
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Youngstown State women's basketball team, behind a couple of career-best performances, ended one streak and extended another Wednesday with an 82-68 victory over Robert Morris at Beeghly Center.
Jessica Olmstead, a 5-foot-9 sophomore guard from Conneaut, and Devin Novak, a 5-11 junior guard from Franklin, Pa., scored 20 and 15 points, respectively, to lead the Penguins. Neither player had scored more than 12 points in a game before while at YSU.
The Penguins (2-3) snapped a three-game losing streak and extended their winning streak over Robert Morris to seven games. YSU is 14-2 all-time against the Colonials.
"In the first half tonight we doubled the ball well and covered the shooting areas well," YSU coach Ed DiGregorio said.
The Penguins used that solid defense to turn a five-point deficit almost midway through the first half into a 37-25 halftime advantage. YSU maintained control through the second half and got nine points -- including 7-of-8 at the foul line -- from senior point guard Maggie Johnston in the final two minutes after the Colonials had cut the lead to 71-64.
Johnston finished with 17 points, six assists and three steals and 5-11 junior forward Jessica Forsythe added 15 points and 11 rebounds, the first double-double of her YSU career.
Balanced scoring
YSU's scoring has been balanced all season, with seven players averaging between 4.5 and 12.3 points per game coming into Wednesday's contest.
"At Bowling Green we had four players in double figures and two more with eight points each, then against Niagara we played like we had never seen a basketball before," DiGregorio said about the Penguins' first two games.
They then dropped two in the First Tennessee Tournament hosted by Vanderbilt, ranked No. 8 in the nation.
"I thought by this time we'd be 4-1, but we didn't recognize Niagara is a good team in our home opener," DiGregorio continued. "We extended ourselves in the second half against an outstanding Vanderbilt team in their tournament, and then had to come back the next day and play Central Michigan."
Point guard Missy Spangler led Robert Morris Wednesday with 27 points and Candace John added 22.
YSU shot 42 percent from the field, including 8-of-19 on 3-pointers. Olmstead was perfect on four 3-point tries and Novak made 3-of-8.
Injuries
The Penguins are without their local connection -- Cathy Hanek from Ursuline and Ashlee Russo from Boardman. Russo, a freshman, averaged almost nine minutes per game the first four games, but has been sidelined with persistent soreness from preseason ankle surgery. Hanek, who DiGregorio said is YSU's best player, earlier was diagnosed with an inflammatory arthritis condition and will sit out the season. Hanek still has two years of eligibility remaining.
"We have just one senior and our two juniors haven't played a lot up to now," DiGregorio said. "And Perigini is the only one among the sophomores who played a lot last year.
"What has to happen for us now is our big girls have to help us more, not just defensively and on the boards, but also in scoring."