Eagles Defeated by Cardinals in D.C.
WASHINGTON, D.C.- The Juniata women's basketball faded behind following a strong first quarter in a 76-42 defeat to Catholic on Wednesday evening.
It was the second consecutive double-digit game in points for Haily Sherman who led the team in scoring with 11. She also collected a team-high three steals in the contest.
Steph Emert had 10 points with a team-best four assists, while Emma Coolidge and Sarah Betts each scored six points off the bench. Emelie Nonemaker was the rebounds leader for the Eagles with seven.
The sides were nearly inseparable through the first ten minutes, as Juniata shot 47.4% from the field, while Catholic was a similar 47.1%. Catholic opened the contest with a three on their first possession, then Juniata went on a 6-2 run with two Sherman layups and Bri Bodtorf layup to claim the lead for the first time at 6-5. Catholic struck back following a Juniata turnover with a layup of their own, then Nonemaker drove into the paint to reclaim the lead at 8-7 through three minutes.
Catholic scored a three on the next possession, but Juniata would soon strike back as Emert knocked a Cardinals ball lose, Kynnedy Miller collected it for a steal, and she found Sherman in transition for a layup to get level at 10. The sides traded points a couple more times, with Catholic drawing ahead to 16-12 with three minutes to play in the quarter.
Emily McCann found Coolidge open at the top of the key on the next possession, and Juniata was back within a score. Catholic followed this with five straight, then Emert fired a three from the right wing to again get back within one possession. The next Juniata drive saw Coolidge hit a layup for a 19-19 tie, but Catholic wrapped up the quarter with a layup.
The second quarter saw Catholic outscore Juniata 22-9, as the Eagles committed 12 turnovers and struggled to get shots away despite going 44.4% on field goals. Following two Catholic free throws, Sherman hit a three for a 23-22 score, followed by a trading of points. Betts then tied it up at 26 apiece, but that is the last time Juniata would share control of the game. The Cardinals went on an 11-point run that put them ahead by double digits, and they carried a 43-28 lead into the break.
The Cardinals again pulled away in the third quarter, outscoring the Eagles 21-9, as Juniata struggled to a 16.7% field goal percentage against Catholic's 47.4%. Scoring slowed down in the fourth quarter, as Juniata was outscored 12-5 for a 76-42 final score.
The Eagles wrap up the 2022-23 season with a trip to #3 Scranton on Saturday. The Royals won 62-34 in the visit to Memorial Gymnasium, as Miller posted a team-high 10 points.