Eagles Brush Away Sluggish Start, Defeat Gophers

Eagles Brush Away Sluggish Start, Defeat Gophers

Jan. 26, 2008

TOWSON, Md. - Goucher didn't take full advantage of Juniata's slow start in this evening's Landmark Conference game - and wound up paying for it as the Eagles defeated the Gophers, 65-61.

Even though the Eagles missed their first eight shots from the field and committed two turnovers in the opening 6:05, the Gophers managed only to jump out to a 4-0 lead on baskets by Kathleen O'Grady (Palmyra, PA/Palmyra) and Amber Smith (Baltimore, MD/Institute of Notre Dame). In fact, the two teams were never separated by more than four points at any time throughout the first half, which ended with Goucher in front by two, 23-21.

The Eagles (11-6, 4-2 Landmark) more than made up for their sluggish start by outscoring the Gophers, 12-1, over the first 3:23 of the second half, taking a 33-34 lead on a lay-up by Jen Hnatuck with 16:37 left to play.

The Gophers (7-9, 2-4 Landmark) would fall behind by as many as 14 points before staging a furious rally during the final four minutes. A run of seven unanswered points that consumed only :48 and featured a three-point field goal by O'Grady and four points by Shadae Swan (Baltimore, MD/St. Frances Academy) sliced Juniata's lead down to seven points.

Goucher got as close as four points on three different occasions during the final 1:53 before time ran out.

Swan led all scorers, delivering 24 points off Goucher's bench. Leia Roberts-Brown (Washington, DC/Archbishop Carroll) supplied the Gophers with 13 points, while O'Grady finished with nine points and a game-high 11 rebounds.

The top scorer for Juniata was Kelly Ashcraft with 15 points.