HUNTINGDON, Pa.- The Juniata women's basketball team found themselves consistently trailing by around a dozen points in a 53-43 defeat at home to Lebanon Valley College on Wednesday night. 

Bri Bodtorf led the Juniata offense with 15 points on the night, five rebounds, an assist, and a steal. Off the bench, Deja Gillo delivered seven points, all in the fourth quarter, to help keep the Eagles within range late. Haily Sherman contributed seven points, three steals, a block, and five rebounds. 

A game-opening layup from Bodtorf, followed by another from Laney Gerdich early in the first, put Juniata down 5-4 through the first few minutes following an LVC three and long-range jumper on the right wing. The Dutchmen soon built out a decent lead thanks to a 9-0 run, putting them ahead 14-4 through the game's first six minutes. A Bodtorf center-court three snapped the six-minute scoreless streak for Juniata, while she opened the second quarter with a layup to get back within five. 

Scoring was lower for both teams in the second quarter, with the Dutchmen outpacing Juniata 11-6 via a couple of jump shots and fast-break layups for a 25-13 lead at the break. 

The Dutchmen returned from the break with a 6-2 run in the first two minutes, interrupted by a Sherman layup, while Sherman soon tacked on a second on a possession change initiated by a Gerdich block to get back to 31-17. A Dutchmen foul draw on a layup with an and-one was followed by the same sequence from Bri Bodtorf to maintain the 14-point gap halfway through the third quarter. The Dutchmen outshot Juniata 6-2 in the final five minutes, with Juniata getting two on an Emma Coolidge layup for a 39-22 deficit with a quarter to go. 

Gillo accounted for the first five points of the fourth quarter, starting with an open three and then sinking two of two free throws after drawing a foul on a three attempt. An Emert driving layup from the left side put Juniata down 41-29 and forced a Lebanon Valley timeout with eight minutes to go. After one foul hit from the Dutchmen, Juniata returned from the break with an open right-wing three from Emert thanks to a Coolidge cross-court pass for a 10-point gap, 42-32 

The sides traded points in the middle stages of the fourth, with Juniata finding themselves down nine points following a Bodtorf layup off an offensive rebound on a fast break. The Dutchmen began to efficiently burn the clock down while building out their lead with a layup and jump shot for a 51-38 lead with a minute to go. The score was finalized with an Emily McCann driving layup plus an and-one with seconds to go. 

The Eagles look to bounce back on Saturday at 4:00 pm as they travel to Wilkes for their first-ever Landmark Conference matchup against the Dutchmen.