(Posted December 6, 2005)

Juniata 70, Waynesburg 55

Waynesburg, Pa. ? A balanced offensive effort and one of its top defensive efforts of the year to snap a three-game losing skid and claim a 70-55 victory over Waynesburg College in the Marisa Fieldhouse Wednesday night. Juniata is now 4-4 on the season, while Waynesburg fell to 3-4.

Kristen Kirk (Newport/Newport) led four Eagles in double figures with 17 points, while Juniata defense forced 23 turnovers in the win.

After scoring the final four points of the second half to take a seven-point lead into halftime, Juniata extended its lead to 10 on a Kirk lay-up five minutes into the second stanza. Juniata then simply maintained that edge, never letting the visitors climb any closer than eight points the rest of the way.

Waynesburg did get within eight with a 4-0 spurt and looked to make a final push with 4:31 remaining. But Juniata answered with six-straight points from Kirk to close out the win.

Juniata shot 46 percent from the field in the game, while limiting the home team to 39 percent shooting, including just 10 field goals in each half.

The lead passed back-and-forth through the first half, with three-straight hoops from Kelly Ashcraft (State College/Bellefonte) putting Juniata in front by six with 12:42 left in the half. Waynesburg answered with seven-straight points, five on a basket and a three from Katie Lewandowski to take a 19-18 lead with 10:42 showing on the clock. After passing the lead back-and-forth again, Juniata closed the half by scoring eight of the final 10 points of the half to take its seven-point lead into halftime.

Along with Kirk?s 17 points, Ali Meckey (Bishop Carroll/Ebensburg), Lesley Snoby (Johnstown/Johnstown) and Ashcraft all finished with 10 points. Ashcraft finished with a team-high six rebounds, while Courtney Callas (Freeport/Sarver) led the team with three assists.

Lewandowski paced all players with 18 points, while Candice Eyerman scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Lewandowski also finished with a team-best three assists.

Juniata plays its final game of first semester on Saturday when the team hosts non-conference foe Lycoming.

JUNIATA (70Meckey 4 0-1 10, Walsh 2 0-0 5, Kirk 5 6-8 17, O?Brien 3 1-2 7, Snoby 5 0-1 10, Callas 3 0-0 6, Rhoads 0 0-0 0, Werner 0 3-4 3, Ashcraft 5 0-2 10, Hatch 1 0-0 2. Totals ? 28 10-18 70.

WAYNESBURG (55): Dillon 1 0-1 2, Lewandowski 6 4-4 18, Jones 2 3-4 7, Kennedy 2 2-3 6, Eyerman 6 0-0 16, Mitchell 0 0-0 0, Chapas 0 0-0 0, Petchel 0 0-0 0, Pratte 2 0-0 4, Riley 0 0-0 0, Wonsettler 0 0-0 0, Lewis 1 0-0 2. Totals ? 20 9-12 55.

Halftime: Juniata 33-26. 3-point goals: Juniata 4 (Meckey 2, Walsh, Kirk); Waynesburg 6 (Eyerman 4, Lewandowski 2). Assists: Juniata 11 (Callas 3); Waynesburg 9 (Lewandowski 3). Rebounds: Juniata 35 (Ashcraft 6); Waynesburg 32 (Eyerman 7).


Records: Juniata (4-4); Waynesburg (3-4).

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Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.