MECHANICSBURG, Pa.- The Juniata women's basketball team opened their season with a 74-45 loss at Messiah, Saturday night at Hitchcock Arena.
Madison Colyer (Newville, Pa. / Big Spring) scored the opening bucket of the season for the Eagles off an assist from Kaeana Rebert (Hanover, Pa. / South Western). Gracie Stauffer (Loysville, Pa. / West Perry) snagged an offensive rebound and laid it back in to make it 4-2. A 14-2 run by Messiah put them ahead in 16-4 before another Stauffer layup broke the run. The Falcons were up 20-6 after one.
The Falcons opened the second on a 18-0 run over the first part of the second quarter to go up 38-6. Colyer put Juniata on the board with a layup from a pass Cassie Mock (Martinsburg, Pa. / Central Martinsburg) to stop the run. JC held the Falcons scoreless over the final three minutes of the period. Stauffer sunk two free throws, Colyer sunk a jumper and Rebert drained a jumper. Stauffer score inside and made two more free-throws in the final seconds of the half as the Eagles trailed, 40-21.
The third quarter had the tightest score line as Juniata scored 15 points to the Falcon 19. Juniata couldn't get closer as Messiah added to their lead in the fourth and won, 74-45. Juniata returns to action Tuesday at 5:30 against Dickinson in their home opener in Memorial Gymnasium.