HUNTINGDON, Pa.- The Juniata women's basketball team won on Tuesday evening, 67-58, against visiting Houghton in Memorial Gymnasium.
Grace Long (Harrisburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin) opened the scoring with a free throw and Gracie Stauffer (Loysville, Pa. / West Perry) scored via offensive rebound to make it 3-0. The Highlanders scored their first shot via jumper and then scored a layup to take an early 4-3 lead. Madison Colyer (Newville, Pa. / Big Spring) rattled home two foul shots and Long hit a short jumper in the paint. A layup from Cassie Mock (Martinsburg, Pa. / Central Martinsburg) followed by another from Stauffer off a nice pass from Colyer made it 11-6. The Eagles led 15-13 after one when the Highlanders closed the quarter with a 4-0 run in the final 30 seconds.
The second quarter saw the Eagle defense lock-in as they held Houghton to just night points on 15.8% shooting from the floor.
Juniata went into the locker room up, 28-22 at halftime.
Houghton returned the favor to start the third as they held Juniata scoreless over the first four and a half minutes as they got within two, 30-28.
Larissa Leonard (Three Springs, Pa. / Southern Huntingdon) made a jumper off a pass from Mock and Long scored inside via put back to put the lead back to six. Taylor Vrabel (Chambersburg, Pa. / Chambersburg) made a foul shot, the Highlanders tacked on one of their own and Long scored inside on a strong drive to the rim. Vrabel then scored from the midrange off another nice pass from Colyer to push the Eagle lead into double digits. The Highlanders scored inside before Colyer found Mock who canned a three.
Stauffer scored inside on an offensive rebound in the final seconds as Juniata led 48-35 heading into the final quarter.
The Eagles led by as many as 20 in the fourth before Houghton closed the gap a bit as Juniata wound up winning by nine, 67-58.
Juniata will return to action on the 19th against Berry in the NYC Shootout.