By: Jennifer Jones
Director of Sports Information
jonesj@juniata.edu • juniatasports.net
HUNTINGDON, Pa. – Juniata basketball continued its battle for a postseason position on both sides this past week, while track and field saw more records fall as the Eagles gear up for rapidly approaching Landmark Conference Championships.
Men's Basketball
The Juniata College men's basketball team is still in the hunt for one of the Landmark Conference playoff spots after a 1-1 week in league play. The Eagles took down Goucher College at home Wednesday night in a full team effort. All eight Juniata players that saw court time against the Gophers contributed points to the final 70-51 score. Senior Brian Scholly (State College, Pa./State College) added a game-high 23 points and senior Lucas Mellott (Warfordsburg, Pa./Souther Fulton) totaled his team-high fourth double-double of the season with 10 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
In the final home regular season game of the season, the Eagles fell to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy 66-61. Juniata held a 10-point lead at halftime, but the Mariners' physical play inside and their improved second-half shooting got the better of the Eagles. Senior Jeremy Hays (McMechen, W. Va./John Marshall) scored a team-high 18 points including going 7-7 from the free-throw line. Both Scholly and senior Kevin Stapleton (Indiana, Pa./Indiana) added double-digit points.
Women's Basketball
Juniata (12-11, 5-7 Landmark) finished 2-0 this week after defeating Goucher College 68-64 in overtime on Wednesday and routing Merchant Marine 80-40 at Saturday's senior day. The two Landmark Conference wins keep the Eagles playoff hopes alive as they sit in a three-way tie for fourth place in the league. Junior Kelsey Livoti (Altoona, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle) led with a team-best 16 points per game, shooting .556 from the floor. Senior Jordan Hileman (Williamsburg, Pa./Williamsburg) along with sophomore Paige Dennison (East Berlin, Pa./Bermudian Springs) also averaged double-figure points. Juniata has its final home game of the season on Wednesday. They host Susquehanna University at 7 p.m. and close the regular season on the road at Drew University.
Men's Indoor Track & Field
The Juniata College men's track & field team traveled to Susquehanna University to compete in the Susquehanna Invitational Friday. Sophomore Matt Guetzlaff (Schnecksville, Pa./Parkland) placed fourth overall in the 300 meter run. His time of 9:04.24 placed him as the third best performer in the event in program history. In the 1 mile run, senior Nate Alter (Pittsburgh, Pa./Taylor Allderdice) finished fifth overall in a career best 4:35.42. Junior Tyler Mandley (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area) finished ninth in the 60 meter hurdles in 9.08. In the shot put, freshman Andrew Paterno(Waynesboro, Pa./Waynesboro) threw a mark of 12.77m to finish in ninth place. The Eagles next compete in the Susquehanna Open on Saturday, Feb. 22.
Women's Indoor Track & Field
The Juniata College women's track & field team competed in the Susquehanna Invitational Friday evening. Senior Katrina Woods (Shirleysburg, Pa./Mount Union) led the Eagles, breaking her own program record in the mile run. Woods placed second overall in 5:10.79. She also placed second overall in the 800-meter run, finishing in 2:26.71. Senior Paula Pryor (Westbrookville, N.Y./Burke Catholic) captured first place in the 400-meter dash with a personal best time of 1:01.59, placing her second on the all-time program record list. Pryor finished fourth in the 200-meter dash. Five other athletes placed in the top ten of their respective events at the meet. Junior Evelyn Edwards(Carbondale, Pa./Carbondale) placed ninth overall in the 200-meter dash in an indoor personal best time of 28.92. In the 60-meter hurdles, sophomore Erin Gaines (Hagerstown, Md./Williamsport) placed sixth overall in 12.16m.
In the field, sophomore Alissa Sellers (Huntingdon, Pa./Huntingdon Area) placed third in the long jump with a season best leap of 5.83m, while freshman Katelyn Fisher (Rochester, N.Y./Greece Athena) finished in third in the high jump with a mark of 1.52m. In the shot put, junior Chelsey Beaver (Shamokin Dam, Pa./Selinsgrove Area) came in fifth place with a season best throw of 11.10m. Beaver also placed sixth in weight throw of 11.52m. The Eagles continue competition Saturday, Feb. 22 when they compete in the Susquehanna Open.
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