Turnovers Hinder Eagles in Loss to #25 Blue Jays

HUNTINGDON, Pa.- The Juniata women's basketball team lost to visiting #25 Elizabethtown College, 65-37, on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Gymnasium.  

Kynnedy Miller totaled 10 points, two rebounds, an assist, and a block, while Deja Gillo provided seven points, three bounds, an assist, and a steal off the bench. 

The Blue Jays raced out to a 10-0 lead in the first two minutes of the game, with the press forcing Juniata into some turnovers as Elizabethtown scored in transition. 

Bri Bodtorf put the Eagles on the board with a strong drive from the left wing, finishing with her left hand in traffic. The next trip up the floor, Bodtorf turned provider, finding Olivia Berg cutting to the hoop, and the sophomore from Johnstown, Pa., laid it in off the glass. 

In the final 30 seconds, with the score 19-4, Steph Emert drove from the left wing toward the middle of the floor and banked the ball in with a runner using her left hand while being fouled. She converted the foul shot; Gillo stole the ensuing inbounds pass and laid the ball in as Juniata trailed by ten after one 19-9.  

Jumpers from Gillo and Bodtorf were the Eagle's only points in the opening five minutes of the first, while the Blue Jays added 11 to lead 32-13. 

Miller banked in a step-back triple from the top of the key, bringing the Eagles within 18, 38-20, with a minute remaining in the half. Etown converted a pair of foul shots for the final points of the half, 40-20. 

Elizabethtown cruised in the second half, outscoring JC 25-17 to get the 65-37 win.  

Juniata had a narrow advantage on the boards, 39-37, while Elizabethtown had great success scoring off JC mistakes as they scored 28 points off turnovers to the Eagle's eight points off turnovers. 

Juniata is off until 2024 when they will travel to take on Moravian Wednesday at 1:00.