(Posted November 27, 2005)

Farmingdale State 98, Juniata 95

New York, N.Y. ? A season-high 98 points and a pair of career-best performances were not enough to earn the Juniata College women?s basketball team its fourth-consecutive win as the Eagles dropped a 98-95 decision to Farmingdale State University of the second day of the NYU Classic Sunday afternoon. Juniata is now 3-2 on the year while Farmingdale is now 2-3.

Ali Meckey (Bishop Carroll/Ebensburg) scored a career-best 26 points for the Eagles, while Katie O?Brien (South Western/Hanover) matched her career-high with 24 points as Juniata topped the 90-point plateau for the first time since a win over Chowan on January 4, 2004. Juniata finished with five players in double figures but were unable to pull out the victory in a tight game.

The Eagles took the lead one final time after an O?Brien free throw and then Meckey?s six three pointer made the score 95-93 with 1:26 showing on the clock. Farmingdale?s Melissa Harry knotted the game with a lay-up 11 seconds later. Juniata would have two chances to take the lead again but had a pair of missed shots. Harry then gave the home team the lead for good with a three-point play with 19 seconds showing on the clock. Kristen Kirk (Newport/Newport) had a chance to knot the game, but her last-second three would not go.

Mercedes Miller gave Farmingdale an 89-88 lead with 3:03 remaining in the game with a pair of free throws. Juniata quickly moved back in front with a Kirk three only to see Miller tie the game for the 13th time with a lay-up.

An O?Brien basket to start the second half gave Juniata the biggest lead of the game at 12 points, but an 11-0 Farmingdale run mid-way through the half cut the lead to one with 15:37 left in the game. It would remain tight from there as the final 15 minutes saw seven ties and nine lead changes.

Juniata was in control for much of the first half and never trailed by more than four points. After a Jess Winemiller (Dallastown/York) three-point play tied the scored for the sixth time at 36 apiece, Juniata closed the half by outscoring Farmingdale 17-7 to take a 10-point lead into the locker room. Juniata?s first-half total of 53 points was just six points shy of its total from the entire game in its win over Alvernia on Saturday.

Both teams shot a solid 56-percent from the field by hitting 38-of-67 shots form the field.

O?Brien scored 24 points on 11-of-15 shooting from the field, while also grabbing a team-best nine rebounds. Meckey nailed six threes to help her reach her career-high 26-point total. Kirk finished with 17 points for the Eagles, while Kelly Ashcraft (State College/Bellefonte) proved 13. Winemiller added 10 points while also leading the team with nine assists and grabbing eight rebounds.

Miller led Farmingdale with 23 points, while Dankery Perez added 20. Kristen Tong chipped in 16 and Harry and Nicole Judkins each finished with 15. Harry also led the team with seven rebounds, while Rochelle Clark passed out nine assists.

Juniata will be back in action on Wednesday as the Eagles host Susquehanna to open Commonwealth Conference play.

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