(Posted January 22, 2005)

Albright 64, Juniata 52

Reading, PA. ? The Juniata College women?s basketball team fought its way through a snowstorm in search of its second conference win of the season, but the Eagles were less effective fighting through the Albright College defense as the Eagles dropped a 64-52 decision to the Lions in Reading Saturday afternoon. Juniata falls to 5-11 on the year with the loss, and are now 1-5 in Commonwealth Conference play. Albright upped its record to 4-13 overall and 1-5 in the Commonwealth.

The Eagles shot just a shade under 40-percent from the field in the game, including 36-percent in the second half as the Lions held Juniata at bay.

Kristen Kirk (Newport/Newport) was tops for Juniata in the game with 14 points. Katie O?Brien (Southwestern/Hanover) added 10, while Ali Meckey (Bishop Carroll/Ebensburg) pulled down a team-high five rebounds.

Albright?s Marie Levins scored a game-high 17 while also finishing with a team-high eight rebounds. Jacqueline Hardwick scored 14 with eight rebounds, and Meredith Berger also added 14. Staci Waligorski was also in double figures with 10, while Sabrina Perry led all players with four assists.

Albright climbed out to a lead early in the first half, before the Eagles answered to tie the game at 12 with a hoop from O?Brien. Levins and Berger then each scored four points over the next four minutes as Albright surged out on a 12-0 run to take a 24-12 edge. A three from Juniata?s Jess Winemiller (Dallastown/York) halted the run, and the Eagles then added threes from Kirk and Jill Walsh (Ferndale/Johnstown) to climb back to within three at the 2:57 mark in the first half.

Then in a critical stretch the home team managed to extend the lead back to seven heading into the locker room, swinging momentum back in their favor.

The surge seemed to quiet the Eagles? offense as Juniata never found its rhythm after the intermission. The Blue and Gold shot 9-of-25 from the field in the final 20 minutes, as Albright kept the lead in double figures for most of the half. The Lions opened the half scoring four quick points to move in front by 11. Two points apiece from O?Brien and Winemiller cut the lead back to seven with 16:59 left, but that was as close as Juniata got. Juniata would move back within eight on two occasions near the 10-minute mark, only to see Albright stretch the lead back into double figures with a 4-0 spurt.

The Eagles will return to conference action on Wednesday when they host Lebanon Valley.

JUNIATA (52): Meckey 0 0-0 0, Walsh 3 0-0 7, Kirk 5 2-2 14, Winemiller 1 4-4 7, O?Brien 4 2-2 10, Callas 3 0-0 6, Rhoads 0 0-0 0, Werner 0 2-4, 2, Snoby 3 0-0 6. Totals ? 19 10-12 52

ALBRIGHT (64): Levins 7 3-3 17, Perry 0 0-0 0, Howard 1 1-2 3, Berger 4 6-6 14, Hardwick 6 2-2 14, Buzad 1 0-0 2, DuPrau 0 2-2 2, Cross 1 0-0 2, Dunston 0 0-0 0, Waligorski 5 0-2 10. Totals ? 25 14-17 64

Halftime: Albright 32-25. 3-point goals: Juniata 4 (Kirk 2, Walsh, Winemiller); Albright 0 (). Assists: Juniata 10 (Meckey, Walsh, Kirk, Snoby 2); Albright 15 (Perry 4). Rebounds: Juniata 22 (Meckey 5); Albright 35 (Levins, Hardwick 8).
Records: Juniata (5-11); Albright (4-13)

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