Dan Sherman
Asst. SID
Juniata
814-641-3513
Frostburg, Md., The Juniata College women's basketball team scored a season high 70 points and were able to pull away late, defeating Frostburg St. 70-63 to earn their first win of the season. Senior Kelsey Livoti (Altoona, PA / Bishop Guilfoyle) reached double figures in points for the third straight time to start the season and recorded her first double-double.
Livoti scored 18 points, bringing down a team high 10 boards to lead the Eagles over the Bobcats. Freshman Danielle Atkinson (Lancaster, PA / Lancaster Catholic) led the team with 20 points, adding two assists, four rebounds, and a steal. Katy Leamer (Bellwood, PA / Bellwood Antis) scored eight points and had four rebounds off the bench for Juniata. Natalie Hager (Franklin, PA /Franklin), Maria Photiades (Abottstown, PA / Delone Catholic HS), and Bethany Spencer (York, PA / York Suburban HS) each chipped in six points. Hager also had four rebounds and a block. Photiades dished out two assists, with six rebounds and two steals. Spencer would add a rebound, two assists, and a steal.
Livoti scored the team's first four points of the game, draining two free throws and netting a layup to put the Eagles ahead 4-0 early in the first half. Later, a Leamer jumper and two free throws from freshman Bailey Swogger (Bellwood, PA / Bellwood Antis) would put the Eagles ahead 12-8. The two teams would go back and forth, with the Bobcats taking their only lead of the night at 26-25. It would be short lived as the Eagles went on a 6-0 run in the remaining three minutes of the half to take a 31-26 lead into the break.
Up three, three minutes into the second half, Hager made three straight layups as the Eagles pulled ahead by a game high nine points. After two Bobcat free throws, Photiades scored on a layup to regain the nine-point advantage. Frostburg State would chip into the lead, making it a one score game. Livoti drained a three-pointer to make it a 48-43 Juniata advantage with 11:11 left on the clock.
With less than five minutes left in regulation, the game was tied 57-57. A free throw from Haley Myers (Huntingdon, PA / Juniata Valley) and a Livoti layup put the Eagles ahead by three. Moments later, the senior added another two points to break a 61-61 tie. She added two free throws with 3 seconds left to play to give the Eagles a four point lead. Juniata would go to the line twice more, adding three points to seal the victory.
The Eagles are now 1-2 on the season and will look to get back to .500 on Saturday at SUNY-Geneseo. Game time is scheduled for 2 pm.