CLARION, Pa. – Sierra Bermudez set or tied a trio of single-game scoring records in dazzling fashion on Monday morning, leading the Golden Eagle women's basketball team to a 102-57 victory over Penn State – Shenango at Tippin Gym. The freshman guard was unstoppable from three-point range as Clarion (1-3) routed the Nittany Lions in the second half.
 
Bermudez broke the program's 29-year-old single-game scoring record with 44 points, topping the previous mark of 43 set by Carlita Jones against Mercyhurst on Nov. 8, 1992. The historic shot came with 5:37 left to go in regulation, with Cory Santoro dishing to Bermudez on the left wing for a three-pointer.
 
In fact, Bermudez accomplished the feat almost exclusively from three-point range, setting a new single-game program record for treys in the process. She tied Allison Stodart's previous record of nine three-pointers – set against Shippensburg on Jan. 15, 2000 – on a buzzer-beating shot at the end of the third quarter. Bermudez officially broke the record less than a minute later, taking a kickout from Haille Hart in the right corner and drilling it for her 10^th make of the day. She made two more treys before her day was done to set a new program record of 12. Bermudez also tied the program's record for three-pointers attempted in a game with 19.
 
Bermudez also recorded a game-high 10 rebounds, giving her a double-double as Clarion out-rebounded Penn State – Shenango 57-33. Abby Gatesman scored 21 points to go with six rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks, and Emily Hegedus chipped in 12 points and seven rebounds.
 
Though the final score would not indicate it, the Golden Eagles benefitted greatly from Bermudez's outburst, as it allowed them to pull away from a scrappy Nittany Lion team that pulled to within 10 points midway through the third quarter. Aneziah Frazier cut it to 56-46 with a jumper in the paint at the 4:17 mark of the third quarter, but that was the high water mark of the second half as Clarion ran away with it over the final 14 minutes of regulation. The Golden Eagles outscored Penn State - Shenango 20-2 to end the third quarter, mostly on shots by Bermudez with field goals from Cory Santoro and Gatesman sprinkled in for good measure.
 
The lead tipped over 30 points for the first time early in the fourth quarter after a pair of free throws by Hegedus. Bermudez sank her last two threes of the game to make it 89-53, and Hegedus scored on a fast break to make it 91-53 with 4:25 to go. Alyssa McLellon, Neely Whitehead and Siara Conley added makes down the stretch, and Hegedus had the honor of putting Clarion at and over the century mark with four points in the final 1:21 of action.
 
It was a departure from the first half action, when the Nittany Lions generally kept close with the Golden Eagles. It was just a five-point game at the 8:09 mark of the second quarter after Mercedes Krueger scored in the paint. Clarion pulled away as the half went on, building a 15-point lead at the break thanks to a made basket from Gatesman.