Greyhounds Hold Off Eagles

BETHLEHEM, Pa.- The Juniata women's basketball couldn't quite overcome a slow start as they lost at Moravian, 65-55, Sunday afternoon.

Averie Hess (Jersey Shore, Pa. / Jersey Shore) scored all the points from the floor for the Eagles as she scored inside on a layup and made a three off a Grace Long assist (Harrisburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin). Gracie Stauffer (Loysville, Pa. / West Perry) added two free throws as JC trailed, 14-7, after one.  

A minute into the second, a steal by Jamie Mahigel (Lewistown, Pa. / Mifflin County) ended with a Taylor Vrabel (Chambersburg, Pa. / Chambersburg) layup off a pass from Madison Colyer (Newville, Pa./Big Spring). The Greyhounds extended their lead to double digits on two free throws, 24-13, with just under five minutes to go in the half. A Long three off a pass from Colyer and later a Colyer jumper off a pass from Hess brought the Eagles within two with two minutes to go. Cassie Mock's (Martinsburg, Pa. / Central Martinsburg) foul shot in the final 15 seconds made it 29-23 Moravian, which was the score at the half. 

The Eagles started the second half with strong defense, holding the Greyhounds scoreless for over three minutes. On the offensive end, offensive rebounds by Mock and Colyer ended with the senior Long converting another three. Stauffer scored inside while being fouled, and her foul shot knotted things at 29-29. Mock found Stauffer inside for another bucket in the paint to push JC ahead. The teams traded buckets, with a Hess jumper nudging the Eagles ahead 35-34, but the Greyhounds slowly surged ahead. Kynnedy Miller (Huntingdon, Pa. / Huntingdon Area HS) dished it to Stauffer, who laid it in to bring JC even at 38-38, and a few possessions later, Stauffer struck again to make it 42-40 Greyhounds. Still, the hosts tallied the quarter's final four points to take a six-point lead into the final frame. 

Moravian led by as many as 13 in the fourth, but the Eagles wouldn't go away. Cassie Mock made a pair of free throws, and Stauffer added one of her own to bring Juniata back within five, 60-55, in the final minute of the quarter. But the Eagles couldn't get any closer as Moravian made their foul shots down the stretch to ice the game. 

Juniata controlled the glass, 41-31, and tallied more second-chance points, 13-10.