GREENVILLE, Pa. – The Thiel College women's basketball team defeated the Pitt Bradford Panthers 71-62 in a non-conference game Tuesday night at Maenpa Court at Beeghly Gymnasium.
 
The Tomcats trailed 18-14 at the end of the first quarter but opened the second quarter on a 12-0 run to claim an eight-point lead (26-18). Thiel led throughout the rest of the game and by as many as 17 points late in the fourth quarter.
 
Thiel forward Destiny Johnson (Baltimore, Md./Western) led all players with 26 points and 20 rebounds to tally her fifth double-double of the season. She also recorded seven assists, seven steals and two blocks. Johnson made 9-of-23 shots from the floor and went 8-of-13 at the line.
 
With her 20 rebounds Tuesday, Johnson moved into ninth place on the program's career rebounds list (716), surpassing Jaclyn Watkins who amassed 702 career rebounds.
 
Taylor Susany (Struthers, Ohio/Struthers) scored 23 points and grabbed five rebounds. The sophomore shooting guard made seven three-pointers Tuesday, matching her career-high, which tied her for the third most in a single-game in program history.
 
Senior forward Destiny Merriwether (Youngstown, Ohio/East) corralled nine rebounds and scored six points while freshman guard Viviana Paucarima (Coral Springs, Fla./Coral Glades) scored five points.
 
Ashley Hall paced the Panthers with 20 points and nine rebounds. McKenna Kelly scored 12 points and pulled down eight rebounds.
 
The Tomcats will host the Franciscan Barons on Wednesday. The Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) game is set to begin at 6 p.m.