Penn Girls Basketball Defeats Valpo 72-65 In Overtime

The Penn Girls Basketball team took down Valparaiso 72-65 in a down-to-the-wire overtime thriller in their season opener. The Lady Kingsmen, unranked in the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association Preseason Poll, defended their home court against the No. 19 Vikings and demonstrated their resiliency and composure in an intense and physical match-up.

Penn was led by junior Macy Little who scored a career high 22 points.

“The game was close throughout and both teams went on runs, but in the end our team came out on top. It’s because we did the little things and stayed composed when it really counted. I think our team played together and that really helped us come through with the dub,” said Little after the game.

Senior Jessa Troy (13), Freshman Addie Hummel (10), Junior Anna Sachire (9), and Sophomore Alivia Dawson (8) were also key contributors to Penn’s offensive attack.

The Lady Kingsmen came out hot, leading 19-3 after the first quarter. The Vikings punched back in the second and the half concluded with a score of 39-32. The third and fourth quarters were back and forth the entire half and the game went into overtime with both teams tied at 61 apiece. Penn went on a final surge, outscoring Valpo 11-4 in the extra period, to secure the victory.

Throughout the entire 36 minutes of game play, both teams left it all on the court and battled till the final buzzer. 

“There was never a dull moment in the gym during the game. The energy was high on the floor, from the crowd, and from both of the teams’ benches as we went back and forth. When OT began, you could just feel the energy shift of how badly we wanted to win and it was a great way to open the season,” said Penn Senior London Jackson. 

Not only was this a big victory over a high quality team, but it also helped reshape the narrative of the Lady Kingsmen heading into the season. Having lost four impactful seniors last year, many people started to count Penn out and this win proved them wrong.

“I think this game was a great preview of this season. Obviously starting off with a win is great, but it was more than that. Valpo is a very good, very tough team, and our composure and poise was tested early on. We had people step up in big moments, and I think we responded to adversity well. I know myself and everyone else on the team are very excited to see what’s ahead for us this season,” added Troy.

The Lady Kingsmen take the court next at home on Saturday, November 16 against Lake Central at 7:30 PM.