Eagles Fall to Second Half River Hawks Surge

SELINSGROVE, Pa.- The Juniata women's basketball team carried a nine-point lead on Susquehanna before ultimately falling 63-50 to the River Hawks on Wednesday evening.

Emma Coolidge totaled a team-high ten points off the bench, hitting five of six field goal attempts. She led the team with three steals and tied with Bri Bodtorf with eight rebounds. Bodtorf collected nine points off four field goals and a free throw.

Susquehanna pulled out to an early 8-2 lead through the first five minutes of play, but Juniata drew level at eight off an Emma Coolidge layup, a Dani Scipioni jump shot, and a jump shot from Sarah Betts. With a minute to play, Susquehanna hit a jumper of their own before Scipioni found Aleya Eisenberg for two to go into the first break level at ten apiece.

Each side collected two points in the first fifteen seconds before Juniata gained the lead for the first time of the night with back-to-back threes from Betts and Eisenberg to go ahead 18-12. Susquehanna clawed back through the middle stages with a pair of jump shots and a layup to tie the game halfway through the second quarter. With the score level at 18 each, the Eagles went on a 9-0 run in the final two minutes of play, with a Haily Sherman layup and a three and jumpers from Kynnedy Miller and Bodtorf, giving Juniata a lead of 27-18 at halftime.

The River Hawks opened the third quarter with a three, and Coolidge hit her second layup of the night on the next possession. Steph Emert drew a foul and sank two of two free throws to go ahead by double digits at 31-21. 

The River Hawks swiftly fired back with a recycled open three from the right wing and a jumper on the left side to get back within five. Bodtorf followed with a steal and a driving layup in transition, and Susquehanna followed with a jump shot from the right side. 

Bodtorf collected a rebound, drew the foul, and hit the and one to go ahead 36-28 with 4 minutes in the third to play. This was followed by a River Hawks steal and driving layup, and a jumper to put Susquehanna four down. Juniata followed with four straight, including a free throw and an Emily McCann three from the left wing. 

The River Hawks went on a five-point run, followed by a driving layup from McCann and a Susquehanna layup at the buzzer to give Juniata a 42-39 advantage with ten minutes to play. 

Susquehanna opened the fourth with six straight points on three layups to go ahead by three points, with Juniata calling a timeout.  Emert drove for a layup, followed by a Susquehanna three, and then Coolidge hit a jumper to make the score 48-46. Susquehanna fired another three, followed by another Coolidge jump shot. 

A jump shot was followed by a steal and open layup for Susquehanna, giving the River Hawks an eight-point lead with four minutes to go, with Juniata calling another timeout. Susquehanna hit a jump shot followed by a Coolidge assist. The River Hawks ended the game with six more points for a 63-50 final score.

Susquehanna hit field goals at a 55.6% conversion rate in the final quarter while collecting 18 rebounds to Juniata's six as they completed their comeback.

The Eagles continue Landmark Conference play at 2:00 pm on Saturday, January 21, as Juniata hosts #4 Scranton at Memorial Gym.