Eagles Battle #13 Cardinals at the Famed Palestra
PHILADELPHIA, Pa.- The Juniata women's basketball team lost to the #13 University of Catholic, 70-49, Sunday afternoon at the famed Palestra on the University of Pennsylvania campus.
Sarah Betts scored the first bucket of the game, catching a pass in front of most of the Cardinal defense from Kynnedy Miller and laying it in off the glass.
Catholic made two threes, Miller answered with one of her own, and Catholic responded with a layup to make it 8-5. A foul line jumper from the Cardinals pushed the deficit to five. Betts got the ball on the left elbow, took one dribble to separate from her defender, and swished a jumper.
The Cardinals expanded their lead to seven, 17-10, before Emily McCann drilled a right-wing three off a pass from Steph Emert. After a steal by Betts on defense, Olivia Berg found the bottom of the net, with the ball finding her following some good ball movement.
Catholic led 19-16 after one.
The Cardinals scored the first eight points of the second quarter as the Eagles were trailing by 11 before a pair of Bri Bodtorf free throws broke the seal to cut the deficit to single digits.
After forcing a turnover, Bodtorf had the ball at the right elbow and was swarmed. Miller cut back door from the right corner, caught the ball and laid it in high off the glass. Catholic split a set of foul shots, and Haily Sherman splashed a triple to bring the Eagles within five, 28-23.
Two Catholic layups were the only points over the next two minutes.
With just over two minutes to go in the half, Bodtorf had the ball on the left wing. She took one dribble to create space and swished a three for the final Eagle points of the half. The Cardinals tacked on five more points to lead by 11 at the half, 37-26.
Bodtorf kicked the ball to Sherman at the top of the key for a three to open the second half. On the next offensive possession, Betts snared an offensive rebound and laid it in off the glass to bring Juniata back within six, 37-31. Catholic controlled the rest of the third, closing on a 16-6 run as JC trailed 53-36 after three.
A 17-13 fourth quarter from Catholic closed out the game.
Betts tallied seven points, five rebounds, one assist, one steal, and a block. Bodtorf contributed seven points, four rebounds, and two assists, while Miller totaled seven points, two rebounds, an assist, and a steal. McCann had six points, three rebounds, and a steal off the bench.
Juniata returns to action this Wednesday on the road at Susquehanna. Tipoff is at 7:00.