Huntingdon, Pa.- The Juniata women's basketball team edged Elizabethtown, 64-59, Thursday evening at Memorial Gymnasium.
Morgan Instone (Johnstown, Pa./Bishop McCort) amassed 13 points, eight rebounds and six blocks. Rachael Anstine (York, Pa./Dallastown) had 11 points and four rebounds, Dani Atkinson (Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Catholic) had 11 points and four assists while Veronica Cosmopolis (Lima, Peru/Colegio Carmelias) had 11 points and three rebounds.
The Blue Jays scored the first four points of the game before Instone scored while being fouled, and converted the foul shot. Cosmopolis drove inside and scored as the Eagles went up 5-4. Atkinson drilled a three before Elizabethtown converted an and-one of their own to get within one. Cosmopolis scored inside to make it 10-7, but the Blue Jays went on an 8-0 run over the next three minutes to take a 15-10 lead. Cosmopolis swished a three in the final 13 seconds off an assist from Carmella Bickel (Elysburg, Pa./Lourdes Regional) to get JC within two.
The Eagles opened the second on a 11-4 run over the opening five minutes that was capped by a Makayla Carles (Tyrone, Pa./Bellwood-Antis) three off a pass from Madison Colyer (Newville, Pa./Big Spring). Elizabethtown pulled within three at 26-23 before Kaeana Rebert (Hanover, Pa./South Western) found Colyer for a layup. Rebert found Stauffer for a jumper from the left elbow but the Blue Jays countered with another inside bucket to stay within five. Juniata led 32-27 at the half.
The Blue Jays started the second half strong, and two and half minutes into the period they tied the score via a three-pointer, 36-36. Anstine found Instone for an easy two and Anstine scored inside to make it 40-36. Spencer buried a three from the top of the key, the Blue Jays scored inside and Atkinson sunk a midrange jumper as JC led 45-38. Gracie Stauffer (Loysville, Pa./West Perry) grabbed an offensive rebound along the left baseline, drove and finished with a reverse layup to make it 48-38. In the final seconds, Haley Myers (Huntingdon, Pa./Juniata Valley) pulling up along the baseline and drilling a jumper as time expired to put the Eagles up 54-44 after three.
An 8-3 push, capped with Instone tossing a pass over the defense to Anstine for an easy layup to open the fourth made it 62-47 with five minutes to. The Blue Jays capitalized on several Eagle miscues over the next three minutes, and with a little under a minute eft pulled within five. Following an Eagle timeout, Atkinson got fouled and made two free throws that iced the game.
Juniata travels to play at Moravian, Saturday at 4:00.