PITTSBURGH (Interstat) — The Pittsburgh Panthers used a dominant first quarter to build an early lead and then held off a second-half push from Mount Saint Mary’s to secure a 66-52 victory in a non-conference women’s basketball game on Saturday at Petersen Events Center.

The Panthers improved to 1-1 on the young season, while the Mountaineers fell to 0-2.

Pittsburgh set the tone immediately, exploding for 25 points in the opening period while holding Mount Saint Mary’s to just eight. The Panthers’ offense was efficient and their defense was disruptive, establishing a 17-point lead that the Mountaineers would spend the rest of the game trying to overcome.

Mount Saint Mary’s found its footing after halftime, outscoring Pittsburgh 21-14 in the third quarter to cut into the deficit. A driving layup by Gabrielle Kennerly and a 3-pointer from Alana Powell highlighted the Mountaineers’ attempt to rally, but they could never close the gap to single digits.

Kennerly, a guard from Charlotte, North Carolina, led all scorers with 20 points for Mount Saint Mary’s. She also added five rebounds in 34 minutes of action. Powell, from Haymarket, Virginia, provided a spark off the bench with 10 points.

Pittsburgh’s offense was fueled by its dominance in the paint, where it outscored the Mountaineers 42-14. The Panthers shot a solid 29 for 55 from the floor, while Mount Saint Mary’s struggled with its shooting all afternoon, finishing 17 of 65.

Mikayla Johnson of Pittsburgh, hailing from Anchorage, Alaska, led the Panthers with 13 points. Lauren Rust, a forward from Victoria, Canada, filled the stat sheet with eight points, nine rebounds and two assists in 36 minutes.

Despite the loss, Mount Saint Mary’s was aggressive defensively, forcing Pittsburgh into 24 turnovers and converting them into 21 points. The Mountaineers also recorded 15 steals, with Teodora Ivanovic of Simanovci, Serbia, contributing three assists and a block.

The Panthers ultimately controlled the game’s tempo and efficiency. They scored 66 points on 75 possessions for an offensive rating of 87.6, while the Mountaineers managed just 52 points on the same number of possessions for a rating of 69.7.

An announced crowd of 708 watched the game at the Petersen Events Center.

Mount Saint Mary’s will look for its first win of the season when it travels to face Bucknell on Wednesday. Pittsburgh returns to action at home against Cornell on Tuesday.