Warriors Ground Eagles In Overtime
HUNTINGDON, Pa.- The Juniata women's basketball team lost a heartbreaker in overtime to visiting Lycoming College, 63-58, Wednesday evening at Memorial Gymnasium.
Bri Bodtorf led the way with 18 points, 14 rebounds, three assists, four blocks, and a steal. Laney Gerdich tallied 11 points, five rebounds, two assists, and a steal. Olivia Berg totaled 10 points and a rebound, while Makenna Hartman contributed a double-double (10 points, 11 rebounds) off the bench.
It was a defensive battle over the first two minutes, with Emma Coolidge breaking the seal on the rims with a pair of foul shots.
Juniata held a 2-0 lead for another two and a half minutes before the Warriors tied things on a layup. The Warriors eventually took a small lead, with Bodtorf's jumper cutting the deficit to three, 11-8, which was the score after one.
The Eagles locked down Lycoming in the second quarter, holding them to 21% shooting from the floor, which enabled JC to take a one-point lead into the locker room at the half, 21-20. Gemma Navickas and Jenna Norton each had four rebounds in the second as they both provided energy off the bench.
The Eagles jumped out with a 10-0 run to open the third, capped by a Hartman layup off a Bodtorf dime, which made it 31-20 halfway through the quarter. Lycoming narrowed the gap to six by the end of the quarter, 37-31.
The fourth quarter saw the Warriors tie things early at 37, but the Eagles reclaimed the lead on the other end on a Hartman putback. Juniata nursed a narrow lead until a warrior three with three to play. Juniata responded again, this time with a tough Bodtorf layup inside.
Juniata split several foul shots down the stretch, and the Warriors made them pay. With 15 seconds to go, Lycoming rebounded a JC missed layup and called a timeout down two, 51-49. Summer Emlet missed a three from the right wing, got her own rebound and drilled a jumper from in the paint to tie the game. Bodtorf had a tough look from the left side in the final seconds that she couldn't convert, and the game went to OT.
Lyco drew first blood in overtime with a three, and Berg answered with a three of her own. Gerdich made two foul shots to give Juniata the lead back. Lycoming closed the game on a 9-0 run to ice the game. Gerdich stole the ball in the dying seconds and scored at the other end to complete the scoring.
Juniata will travel to take on Drew, Saturday at 4:00.