NEWPORT NEWS, VA. – Junior April McCoy had 22 points and 13 rebounds as the Apprentice School Lady Builders held off a feisty Penn State Fayette squad for a 76-72 win in the Great Ships Classic on Friday night.

The teams traded the lead seven times in a first half that saw the teams struggle for open shots in the first six minutes.  Penn State Fayette used an 8-0 run over a two minute span to take a 23-19 lead on a Jill Guthrie layup with 4:42 left. Apprentice School responded with an 11-0 run over the next 3:15 to lead 30-23 on a 3-pointer from Christina Licano with 1:27 left in the half.

In the second half, Apprentice School used a 10-2 run over a four minute span to match its largest lead on the night at 61-45 on a McCoy jumper with 7:52 left.  The Roaring Lions would not go away quietly as they worked back into the contest cutting that lead down to 72-68 on a Kaitlyn Novak jumper with 46 seconds left.  A pair of free throws from Courtney Collins with 31 seconds left and from Kenya Wilkerson with 15 seconds left kept the margin from getting closer.

Apprentice School out-rebounded Penn State Fayette 68-41 as McCoy topped the team with her 13 followed by Martika Williams with 10 to go with her seven points.  Collins had 12 points and eight rebounds, while Licano added 11 points, four assists and four steals.  The Lady Builders set school records for free throws made (30) and attempted (50) on the night.

The Lady Builders close the classic on Saturday afternoon facing Bennett College in a 3 pm game.  Southern Virginia University, who defeated Bennett 74-27 in the opening game, will face Penn State Fayette in the 1pm opener.