Royals Ground Eagles

HUNTINGDON, Pa.- The Juniata women's basketball team couldn't keep pace with Scranton in the second half as they lost, 60-42, Saturday afternoon inside Memorial Gymnasium in their regular-season finale. 

A Grace Long (Harrisburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin) jumper and a Gracie Stauffer (Loysville, Pa. / West Perry) layup off a Cassie Mock (Martinsburg, Pa. / Central Martinsburg) assist put Juniata up early in the first two and half minutes. Madison Colyer (Newville, Pa. / Big Spring) found Averie Hess (Jersey Shore, Pa. / Jersey Shore), who drove hard from the left-wing past her defender and laid it in to make it 6-0 Eagles. Scranton made their first basket on a free throw with just over five minutes into the game. A Royal three brought them within one, 5-4, before Long made three foul shots to push the lead back to four. Scranton narrowly retook the lead on two foul shots of their own in the final minute and led, 11-10, after one.   

The Royals scored inside to open the second, and Colyer answered with a short jumper in the paint. The Royals scored the next four points before two Kynnedy Miller (Huntingdon, Pa. / Huntingdon Area HS) free throws with just under six minutes remaining in the half. Scranton tried to pull away at various points, but a Long three cut the deficit to four. A few possessions later, Hess made a jumper, and following an Eagle stop, Hess converted two foul shots to bring Juniata within three, 24-21. A Royal three was the final bucket of the half as JC trailed 27-21 at the break.  

Grace long split a set of free throws, and two possessions later; Colyer made a jumper after Stauffer found her in the right corner to make it 27-24 early in the third. Scranton gradually increased their lead through the rest of the quarter, going on a 15-4 surge to close the quarter as they led 42-28. 

Juniata couldn't make up the gap in the fourth, as Scranton maintained the lead for the most part by holding an 18-14 edge in scoring in the final frame.  

Juniata closes the regular season at 0-8.