(Posted November 23, 2010)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Juniata College senior Jen Hnatuck (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Trinity) scored 22 points and hauled in 14 rebounds to help Juniata women's basketball post a 70-63 win over Alvernia University, Tuesday night at the Kennedy Sports + Recreation Center.

Hnatuck's 14 boards - including nine on the offensive glass - was one off her career high, and helped her complete her second double-double of the season, 24th of her career.

Sophomore guard Natalie Glinsky (Indiana, Pa./Indiana) and junior guard Ashton Bankos (York, Pa./York Catholic) each chipped in with 14 points, and each dished out three assists.

Juniata (3-1) shot just 38.7 percent (24-62) from the field, only slightly better than Alvernia's (1-3) 38.6 percent (27-70) effort from the floor.

The difference for Juniata came at the free-throw line - not just in quantity, but hitting them when they counted. The Eagles were 14-of-15 at the charity stripe, with Bankos going a perfect 6-of-6 at the line in the final minute.

Bankos' clutch free-throw shooting helped repel an Alvernia squad that had rallied from an eight-point deficit, 62-54 with 3:02 remaining in the second half. A jumper by the Crusaders' Shanaye Glenn at the 2:51 mark pulled Alvernia to within six, and, after Hnatuck and Alvernia's Julie Hahn traded layups, a 3-pointer by Hahn left the Crusaders trailing by three.

Bankos drained a pair of foul shots with with 46 seconds remaining to put the Eagles back up by five, and 27 seconds later she converted two more following a missed layup and turnover by Hahn.

Alvernia's Allie Toczylowski made a layup with 15 seconds showing on the game clock, but Bankos answered those points with two more free throws.

Juniata held an eight-point lead earlier in the second half, and had led by as many as 11 points in the first half. A 12-4 Alvernia run in the second half led to the Crusaders pulling even with the Eagles, 43-43, with 13:15 to play in the game, and the game would be tied three more times over the next five-and-a-half minutes. The Eagles began to pull away with 3-pointers by Paige Robertson (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area), Glinsky and Bankos, with the Crusaders managing only two-point baskets in return.

Alvernia also had three players score in double figures, led by Glenn with 22 points. Hahn finished with 11 points, while Brittany Young tallied 10 points. Toczylowski grabbed 12 rebounds, including four offensive boards.

Juniata returns to action on Saturday, Nov. 27, when it hosts Pitt-Greensburg at 2:00 p.m. at the Kennedy Sports + Recreation Center.

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