River Hawks Fend Off Eagles
HUNTINGDON, Pa.- The Juniata women's basketball team suffered a 43-32 loss to visiting Susquehanna Wednesday evening inside Memorial Gymnasium.
The River Hawks opened the game with a layup, and Juniata got on the board following a Kynnedy Miller steal that resulted in a nifty Bri Bodtorf layup in transition. Haily Sherman converted a three from the top of the key to push JC ahead. SU scored the next six points before Bodtorf drove from the top of the key and scored with her left hand high off the glass to put JC back ahead by one with just under four to play. SU rattled off another five points; Miller drove baseline on the right side and found Sherman on the left side. Sherman blew past her defender and laid the ball in, and that was the final bucket of the quarter as JC trailed 11-9.
A pair of Steph Emert foul shots were the first Eagle points of the second which broke up a 7-0 run by the River Hawks. Aleya Eisenberg inbounded the ball to Miller on the right wing for a three, bringing JC within seven at 21-14. The defenses dominated for the following four minutes as neither team scored. Emma Coolidge poked the ball away on the right wing, beat everyone to the ball, and raced the other way. She laid the ball to bring JC within five, which was the margin at the half, 21-16.
Two Emert free throws started the second half to bring Juniata within three. The River Hawks went on a 16-5 run to close the third as the Eagles trailed by 14 heading into the final quarter, 37-23.
The Eagles scored a quick seven points to open the fourth as Emily McCann drilled a three, Bodtorf got a steal, went the other way, and scored. A Coolidge steal saw Emert score via layup on the end to bring the Eagles within seven, 37-30. The JC defense continued to stand firm, as Sherman stole the ball and Emert scored inside to bring the Eagles within five with under seven minutes to play. SU finally found the bottom of the net with under three to play, and the Eagles ran out of steam and couldn't get closer the rest of the way.
Juniata will return to action this Saturday at home against Moravian.