HUNTINGDON, Pa.- The Juniata women's basketball team couldn't complete the comeback as they lost to Alvernia, 73-63, Saturday afternoon inside Memorial Gymnasium.
It was a tough first quarter for the Eagles offensively as they managed five points while shooting 14.3% from the floor. Grace Long (Harrisburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin) opened the scoring for Juniata three and half minutes into the game as she dribbled into three from the right-wing. Hailey Sherman (Marysville, Pa. / Susquenita High School) forced a turnover, and on the offensive end, Long grabbed an offensive rebound. She tossed the ball to Cassie Mock (Martinsburg, Pa. / Central Martinsburg), who drilled a jumper from just inside the three-point line. Alvernia scored the final 10 points of the period to lead to 14-5 after one.
The Golden Wolves quickly built a double-digit lead at the beginning of the second quarter.
A Mock layup made it 32-21 with just under three to play, but the Golden Wolves closed on a 6-0 run as Juniata trailed by 17 at the break.
The third quarter opened with a Sherman layup, an Alvernia foul shot, and Kennedy Miller (Huntingdon, Pa. / Huntingdon Area HS) converting a foul shot to make it 39-24.
Haily Sherman with a drive down the left side to start off the second half. #WingsUp #TakingFlight #GoEagles @JuniataWBB pic.twitter.com/CWnSy5R3Lb
— Juniata Athletics (@JuniataEagles) December 18, 2021
From there, Sherman took over briefly as she scored on a layup, made a three off an assist from Long, and splashed another off an assist by Mock to make it 39-32.
Sherman for 3!!! #GoEagles #TakingFlight #WingsUp pic.twitter.com/ItqqKSsQjk
— Juniata Athletics (@JuniataEagles) December 18, 2021
Juniata continued to narrow the gap, with Averie Hess (Jersey Shore, Pa. / Jersey Shore) making a jumper off a pass from Dani Scipioni (Altoona, Pa. / Bishop Guilfoyle) made it 42-38. In the final minutes of the third, Alvernia gave themselves some breathing room as they used a jumper in the last 30 seconds to push their lead back to ten, 52-42, heading into the final frame.
The Eagles never got closer than seven in the fourth, with a Long jumper in the final minute making it 66-59, but the Golden Wolves made their free throws down the stretch to ice the game.
Cassie Mock for 3 in the fourth quarter! #WingsUp #TakingFlight #GoEagles pic.twitter.com/MsKC0FbvUd
— Juniata Athletics (@JuniataEagles) December 18, 2021
Juniata is off until after Christmas when they will head down to Nashville to play in the Basketball Destinations Post-Christmas Classic.
