TOWSON, Md.- The Juniata women's basketball team used stifling defense combined with an offensive eruption in the fourth quarter to come from behind and beat Goucher, 50-44, Wednesday evening.
Grace Long (Harrisburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin HS) led the way with a season-high 17 points, six rebounds, and two assists, while Haily Sherman (Marysville, Pa. / Susquenita HS) tallied 15 points, six rebounds, and two steals. Averie Hess (Jersey Shore, Pa. / Jersey Shore HS) amassed eight points, nine rebounds, an assist, and three steals, while Cassie Mock (Martinsburg, Pa. / Central Martinsburg HS) totaled two points, six rebounds, two assists, and three steals.
The Gophers utilized a 9-3 surge in the back half of the first quarter as they led 20-12 after one.
Juniata trailed by nine in the final minutes before a Hess layup off a Mock assist. Long found Emelie Nonemaker (Shippensburg, Pa. / Shippensburg Area Senior HS) for a layup in the final 18 seconds to cut the deficit to five heading into the break.
The Eagles hung around in the third, cutting the deficit to six at several points, but the Gophers nailed a jumper with a little over a minute to go and took an eight-point lead into the final quarter.
Kynnedy Miller (Huntingdon, Pa. / Huntingdon Area HS) found a slashing Herman for a layup on the break to bring JC within six a little over a minute into the fourth. Sherman turned defense into offense, tipping a loose pass into the backcourt and beating everyone to it for a layup. A Long foul shot along with a Sherman jumper had the Eagles within one with five to play.
Goucher made a pair of free throws; Long scored on a putback, the Gophers made one more foul shot before a Sherman layup knotted things at 43 with three to go.
A wild offensive possession that saw JC get three looks that wouldn't go down before Jamie Mahigel (Lewistown, Pa. / Mifflin County HS) laid the ball in to give the Eagles their first lead of the night. Sherman and Long made foul shots down the stretch for JC while the Gophers made one more at the line themselves as the Eagles earned a 50-44 victory.
JC had a 42-37 advantage on the glass and a 26-10 edge on points in the paint.
They will close their season on the road at Moravian this Saturday with a 2:00 tipoff.
