ERIE, Pa. -- The Grove City College women's basketball team opened the 2021-22 season Friday night with an 83-65 victory over Alfred in the semifinals of the Penn State Behrend Tip-Off Tournament at the Junker Center. Grove City will now play host Behrend in Saturday's championship game at 3 p.m.

Sophomore forward Kat Goetz (Pittsburgh, Pa./Avonworth) led four Grove City players in double figures as she scored 16 points on 7-of-7 shooting. Junior guard Megan Kallock (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem) pumped in 12 points in her first collegiate start.

Two rookies also debuted with double-digit scoring outings Friday night for the Wolverines (1-0). Freshman guard Clara Hannon (Grove City, Pa./Grove City) tossed in 11 points and freshman guard Nevaeh Ewing (Sarver, Pa./Knoch) hit three three-pointers as part of a 10-point outing.

Grove City never trailed as the Wolverines jumped out to a 10-2 lead in the first two minutes of the game. The Wolverines led 32-15 after one quarter, then pushed the lead to 55-34 by halftime. Grove City led by as many as 24 points in the second quarter.

Grove City shot 20 of 36 (56 percent) from the field in the first half. For the game, the Wolverines went 32 for 68 (47 percent). The Wolverines held Alfred (2-1) to 19-of-69 (28 percent) shooting for the game.

Senior forward Allison Podkul (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) pulled down nine rebounds while junior center Nina Cano (Greenville, Pa./Greenville) added eight boards. Grove City held a 52-42 edge on the glass. 

Freshman guard Mara Polczynski (Irwin, Pa./Norwin) dished out eight assists in her collegiate debut. That's the highest assist total for a Grove City player in her first start since Jordan McConnell doled out 13 assists January 18, 2019 in a 70-65 win over Waynesburg.

Kallock recorded six steals. Grove City forced 20 turnovers. The Wolverines turned over the ball 25 times. 

Fifteen players competed in the game for the Wolverines with 13 breaking into the scoring column. No player played more than 24 minutes.

Penn State Behrend (1-1) defeated S.U.N.Y.-Canton in Friday's first semifinal, 91-60. Saturday's game is the first meeting between Grove City and Behrend since December 4, 2017, when the Wolverines earned a 79-65 win in Erie.