THE HEADLINE: Juniata's starters and bench players broke out offensively in their 88-58 victory over Wilkes University on Wednesday, Nov. 30.
THE STARTERS:
21 Katy Leamer
42 Kelly Leamer
FIRST HALF: In a fast-paced first half, the Eagles played strong defense and aggressive offense to gain and maintain the lead. Down 5-2 in the first two minutes of the game, Anstine (York, Pa./Dallastown) and Atkinson (Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Catholic) contributed to take the lead; they did not trail again.
Atkinson led the team with 11 points in the first half. Kelly Leamer (Altoona, Pa./Bellwood-Antis) and Haley Myers (Huntingdon, Pa./Juniata Valley) followed with nine. Myers shot 1.000 on her field goal attempts and behind the three-point line.
With the full team effort, Juniata took a 48-28 lead into the second half.
SECOND HALF: Bench players, Myers and Bri Wasser (Ebensburg, Pa./Central Cambria) stood out, as they added to Juniata's growing score. By the end of the third quarter, Myers and Wasser contributed 14 points in their time off the bench. Freshman Veronica Cosmopolis (Lima, Peru/Colegio Carmelitas) made a long three-point jumper, putting the Eagles ahead 73-46 going into the final ten minutes.
The Eagles did not let their guard down in the fourth quarter and they were able to finished the game ahead 30 points, 88-58.
KEY PERFORMANCES: Wasser led the team in scoring and set a new career high with 16 total points. She was five for her nine field goal attempts and four-for-four on the foul line. She sank two threes, one in the first quarter and the other in the third.
Myers could not miss during her minutes in the first half, tallying nine points. On her first two attempts in the second half, she swished a jumper and a three.
Anstine showed her strength in the paint yet again with nine rebounds, five defensive and four offensive, including one put-back.
IN THE BOX: Juniata shot 50.8% (32-63) from the field, while Wilkes shot 35.3% (18-51). The Eagles earned 24 points off of turnovers and 20 second-chance points.
POST-GAME REMARKS: Head coach Danny Young-Uhrich was happy with the win tonight over Wilkes, noting that they accomplished a few of their goals they set for the contest. However, she knows there is still work to be done. "I know I'm not feeling a sense of complacency...I don't want the girls to be satisfied with anything," she said.
WHAT'S NEXT?: Juniata men and women are traveling to Scranton on Saturday, Dec. 3 to compete in a doubleheader. The women tip off against the reigning conference champions at 2 p.m.; the men follow at 4 p.m.