Beverley, Brigham Key In Impressive Win Over Rider
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Senior Niya Beverley and sophomore Ali Brigham combined for 43 points as Penn State Women’s Basketball improved to 2-0 on the season with an 83-69 victory over Rider.
Brigham, a newcomer for the Lady Lions after transferring from George Washington, has eclipsed 20 points in both contests this season. She notched 23 points in the victory against the Broncs.
Brigham’s ability as a playmaker was also on full display, as she tallied six assists, helping create plenty of open shots for her teammates with her low-post presence that Rider had to try to slow down.
Beverley, who was quiet on the offensive end in the season opener versus LIU, accounted for 20 points, while also grabbing six rebounds. Beverley credited her performance to just playing within the flow of the game.
“I just tried to be aggressive and let the game come to me. And that’s what happened tonight,” Beverley said.
Beverley was not the only player for Penn State who was impressive with her rebounding. The entire team was terrific, out-rebounding Rider by a wide 41-24 margin.
Freshman Leilani Kapinus was a major force on the boards in her own right, hauling in eight in only 19 minutes before unfortunately exiting the game with an apparent shoulder injury.
Head coach Carolyn Kieger did not have an injury update on Kapinus, but she did have plenty of praise for her efforts.
“Well, that’s going to be what she does. She’s got to rebound; she’s got to get a steal. She comes in as a freshman who loves to play defense, you don’t see that very often,” Kieger said.
Coach Kieger continued, saying “this is somebody that comes in and she wants to guard the best player and she wants to be one of the best defenders in the country, and that’s rare.”
The rebounding advantage that Kapinus and Beverley helped carve out was a key element of the Penn State victory, but the Lady Lions’ resiliency was equally important.
While the Lady Lions led for 98% of the game, there was a third quarter rally for Rider, led by senior Lenaejha Evans, where the Broncs pulled within four points of a tie game.
But Penn State managed to keep its foot on the gas, and emerge with the win. Kieger attributed this to the growth the team as a whole.
“This is what we’ve been working for, to weather these storms. And last year, I don’t know if we would’ve been able to do that. And they all just kind of looked at each other and said 'it’s time.' Defense was a real spark for us," Kieger said.
This fighting spirit the team has displayed early this season will need to continue if the Lady Lions are to keep winning.
Their next game will be at home, once again, against Delaware State on Nov. 16, and when it comes to that fighting spirit, Ali Brigham doesn’t seem to think it’s going anywhere.
“We’re going to keep working and working as a team. I think we’re going to be really special,” Brigham said.
Joe Tuman is a freshman majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email him at joentuman@gmail.com
