YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Horizon League play opened on Wednesday evening at the Beeghly Center, with the host Youngstown State Penguins registering a 66-50 win over the Milwaukee women's basketball team.
 
YSU took advantage of 19 Milwaukee turnovers and scored 28 points off those giveaways, while the Penguins connected on eight three-pointers to the three makes by the Panthers from distance.
 
"I'm disappointed in how we came out and played tonight," Kyle Rechlicz commented after the game. "The turnovers that we committed were all things that we had talked about before the game … you can't throw the long pass the way they play defensively and they were picking off our advance passes."
 
Anna Lutz led the way for the Black & Gold with 15 points and seven rebounds, while Kamy Peppler was second on the team in scoring with 10 points. Kacee Baumhower chipped in with nine points and Payton Rechlicz recorded five rebounds with a team-best three assists.
 
The Panthers took an early seven-point lead behind all three of Milwaukee's three-point makes, including a pair from Jada Donaldson and one by Baumhower to make it 11-4 midway through the first.
 
Eight unanswered points by the Penguins sent YSU back in front as the Penguins led by one at 18-17 after the opening 10 minutes of the game.
 
Milwaukee was able to tie the game at both 21 on a pair of free throws from Kallie Peppler, and at 23 on a layup by Jorey Buwalda. Youngstown State took the lead back on a pair of free throws and did not relinquish the rest of the half, leading 33-28 at halftime.
 
The Panthers got as close as four points in the early stages of the third quarter, but were unable to get any closer trailing by as many as 13 in the second half until a last-second make from the Penguins gave YSU the 66-50 victory.
 
Milwaukee did lead the game in second-chance points at 12-10 taking advantage of 11 offensive rebounds. The Penguins ended the game with a slim lead in overall rebounds at 33-31. MKE also connected on 76.5 percent from the free throw line including a 7-for-8 effort in the second quarter.
 
Donaldson ended the game with six points while Kallie and Izzy Pugh each had three. Rechlicz also led the Panthers with two of their four steals on the night.
 
Jewel Watkins led the way for the host Penguins, scoring 22 points on seven makes from the field including six from range. Erica King and Sarah Baker both had 16 points, while Baker had a team-best six assists.
 
"It's disappointing that we didn't play our game," Rechlicz added. "We have to bounce back between now and Saturday and find some confidence on the offensive side."
 
Milwaukee will look for a bounce back effort on Saturday afternoon, when the team visits the Robert Morris Colonials at the UPMC Events Center in Moon Township, Pa., with tip time set for 1:00 p.m. (CT).