Bearcats Down Eagles in Women's Basketball Season Opener

LATROBE, Pa. - The Juniata women's basketball team dropped their season opener on the road at Saint Vincent, 76-58, Tuesday evening. 

The Bearcats scored off the tip as their point guard was first to the ball and laid it off the glass to start the game. The Eagles had to navigate the Bearcat press and did so easily. After a loose ball,  Haily Sherman found herself on the left baseline and kicked it out to a wide-open Kynnedy Miller, who drilled a three from the leftwing. St. Vincent converted a jumper on the other end; the teams traded turnovers before Bri Bodtorf collected an offensive rebound and found a cutting Sherman for a layup. A few possessions later, a well-executed out-of-bounds play culminated in another Sherman layup as JC led 7-4 in the first two minutes. 

Another Bearcat jumper was followed by a Miller reverse. Saint Vincent split a pair of foul shots, and on the other end, Emelie Nonemaker swung the ball to Miller on the left wing, who canned another three to make it 12-8 with a little under seven to play in the quarter. From there, the Bearcats closed the quarter on a 21-7 run as they got to the line several times and ended the first quarter up 29-19. 

The Bearcats looked to pull away as they pushed their advantage to as many as 19, but JC slowly clawed their way back. Emily McCann made two foul shots. Steph Emert stole the ball and went the other way before laying the ball in; a possession later, she converted two foul shots to bring the Eagles within 11. Saint Vincent made two foul shots of their own, Bodtorf split a pair of her own, but the Bearcats had the final bucket of the half on a putback. 

Juniata narrowed the deficit to 10 or 11 several times but couldn't get closer in the second half as the Bearcats won the second half, 31-23. 

Bodtorf had a strong first game for the Eagles as she tallied 17 points, seven rebounds, and two assists. Miller added 15 points, three rebounds, and three steals, while Sherman amassed eight points, eight rebounds, three steals, and a block. Emert added eight points, four rebounds, an assist, and two steals. 

Juniata will take on Marymount on day one of the McDaniel Tip-Off Tournament, Friday at 8:00.