(Posted November 20, 2004)

Penn State-Behrend 77, Juniata 66

Erie, Pa. ? The Juniata College women?s basketball team hit nearly half of its field goal attempts in its season opener, but it wasn?t enough to overcome a balanced offensive attack from Penn State-Behrend as Juniata fell to the home team by a score of 77-66 in the first round of the Penn State-Behrend Tip-off Tournament. Juniata will now face Bethany in the consolation game Sunday at 1 pm.

Juniata was in good position late in the game as a three pointer from Ali Meckey (Bishop Carroll/Ebensburg) cut what had been a nine-point second-half deficit to five. But the home team ended the game on an 8-2 run to hold on and take the victory.

The game was tight throughout as neither squad held a lead of more than eight points in the first half. Juniata?s Jess Winemiller (Dallastown/York) drilled a three with 12:29 left in the first half to give Juniata an early 11-10 lead. It was Juniata?s last lead of the half as Nikki Pacinelli answered with a three for Behrend which sparked a 9-1 run to give the home team a seven-point edge. Juniata would whittle it down late in the half with baskets from Kristen Kirk (Newport/Newport) and Jeny Killen (Bishop Carroll/Ebensburg) to head into halftime trailing by six.

The game stayed tight in the final 20 minutes as the Eagles scored the first six points out of halftime to tie the game at 35. It was tied again four minutes later at 43 after a three from Winemiller. The two teams continued to trade baskets with each team grabbing slim leads. A basket from Katie O?Brien (South Western/Hanover) with 6:29 on the clock tied the score at 59?tying the score for the seventh time in the second half.

But this time Behrend had the answer as the home team went on a 9-0 run, capped by a three from Bambi Lewis to take the largest lead of the game. The Eagles would cut the lead to five, but could not complete the rally.

Winemiller finished with a game-high 18 points in her first collegiate game. Kirk and O?Brien were both also in double figures with 13 and 10 respectively. O?Brien filled up the stat sheet with a team-high five rebounds while also recording five blocks. Mindy Werner (West York/York) led the Eagles with four assists.

Penn State-Behrend had five players in double figures, led by Pacinelli who scored 14. Tenesha Aden added 13, Lewis and Rachel Slomski both had 12 and Amber Krumpe added 10. Krumpe also led all players with 10 rebounds, while Lewis was tops in the game with five assists.


JUNIATA (66): Meckey 3 0-0 8, Walsh 1 0-0 2, Kirk 5 2-2 13, Winemiller 7 0-0 18, O?Brien 5 0-0 10, Callas 1 1-2 3, Rhoads 0 0-0 0, Werner 4 1-3 9, Killen 1 0-0 2, Snoby 0 1-2 1. Totals ? 27 5-9 66

PENN STATE-BEHREND (77): Pacinelli 5 0-0 14, Mays 3 0-0 6, Lewis 5 0-0 12, Krumpe 5 0-0 10, Serafin 3 0-0 8, Connolly 0 0-0 0, Andrus 1 0-0 2, Aden 4 5-8 13, Slomski 5 2-4 12, Priester 0 0-0 0. Totals ? 31 7-12 77

Halftime: Penn State-Behrend 35-29. 3-point goals: Juniata 7 (Winemiller 4, Meckey 2, Kirk); Penn State-Behrend 8 (Pacinelli 4, Lewis 2, Serafin 2). Assists: Juniata 14 (Werner 4); Penn State-Behrend 20 (Lewis 5). Rebounds: Juniata 23 (O?Brien 5); Penn State-Behrend 35 (Krumpe 10).

Records: Juniata (0-1); Penn State-Behrend (1-0)

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Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.