Turnovers Hurt Eagles Against McDaniel

WESTMINSTER, Md.- The Juniata women's basketball team couldn't make up a bad first quarter as they lost, 65-57, to McDaniel in the McDaniel College Tip-Off Tournament Championship Game Saturday evening. 

Juniata had a tough first quarter as they shot 33.3% from the floor and committed nine turnovers and trailed 23-12 after one. 

The Eagles trailed 29-13 early in the second before they mounted a little run.  Averie Hess (Jersey Shore, Pa. / Jersey Shore) split a pair of foul shots, Madison Colyer (Newville, Pa. / Big Spring)  canned a jumper off a pass from Grace Long (Harrisburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin) which was followed by another Colyer jumper, this one off a pass from Hess. Gracie Stauffer (Loysville, Pa. / West Perry) scored inside off a pass from Long which pulled the Eagles within 10, 29-19. Later, Larissa Leonard (Three Springs, Pa. / Southern Huntingdon) set Long up for a three which sliced the deficit to single digits, 35-26. The Green Terror converted a jumper to make it 37-26 and JC trailed by 11 heading into the locker room at halftime. 

Leonard scored the first five points for the Eagles in the second half and Hess scored inside to bring Juniata within six, 39-33 with just under nine minutes to go early in the third. A Colyer jumper 50 seconds later brought the Eagles within four, but Terror went on a 6-0 run over the next few minutes to build their lead back to 10, 45-35. In the final 23 seconds of the quarter Leonard sunk two free throws to make it 49-42 heading into the fourth.

The Eagles never really threatened in the fourth as McDaniel led by double digits for a majority of the final frame. 

Long and Leonard were named to the all-tournament team for the Eagles. 

Juniata will take on Mount Union, Friday at 6:00.