(Posted February 9, 2008)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Freshman Jen Hnatuck (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Trinity) logged her seventh double-double of the season to lead Juniata College to a 61-52 victory over Catholic University, in Landmark Conference women's basketball action Saturday night at the Kennedy Sports + Recreation Center in Huntingdon, Pa. Juniata (13-8, 6-4 Landmark) had been trailing by two points, 28-26, with approximately three-and-a-half minutes remaining in the opening half. Hnatuck knotted the game with a layup, then Ali Meckey (Ebensburg, Pa./Bishop Carroll) hit a three-pointer to give the Eagles the lead. Claudia McDowell (Alexandria, Pa./Juniata Valley) and Court Callas (Sarver, Pa./Freeport) added to the Juniata lead, as the Eagles finished the half with an 8-0 run. After Kelly Ashcraft (Bellefonte, Pa./State College) padded the Juniata lead with a bucket to open the second half, Catholic (8-13, 3-7 Landmark) began to chisel away at the Eagle lead. A 10-2 Cardinal run midway through the second half, fueled by a trey and a layup by Brianna Peterson, eventually cut the Juniata's lead down to one possession; Kaitlyn O'Keefe's layup with 11:17 remaining reduced the Eagle advantage to one point, 45-44. Callas immediately responded with a layup to widen the Juniata lead, with a Gina Piccolini (Indiana, Pa./Indiana) foul shot and a Hnatuck layup further quashing the Catholic comeback attempt. Defensively, Juniata held Catholic without a field goal for over six minutes, until Kerri Confrey broke the Cardinal field goal drought with 4:56 remaining. Meckey finished with a game-high 13 points behind her 3-of-6 shooting from three-point range, while Ashcraft tallied 12 points. McDowell dished out four assists for the Eagles. Catholic had two players score in double-figures, led by Peterson with 13 points. Confrey chipped in with 10 points, while Jenn Canale pulled down a team-high seven boards. Juniata will return to action on Sunday afternoon when it hosts Goucher College at 2:00 p.m. at the Kennedy Sports + Recreation Center. -30-

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