Gophers Enjoy Second-Straight Landmark Win

HUNTINGDON, Pa. — Goucher enjoyed winning its first Landmark Conference game of the season two nights ago and tonight, Patrick Daniel's squad did it again with a 70-59 triumph over Juniata.

Both, Briana Bull (Baltimore, Md./Owings Mills) and Hannah Kuehl (Plymouth, N.H./Plymouth Regional) registered a double-double on the night. Bull notched a team-high, 22 points, with 10 rebounds while Kuehl added 14 points and had 13 boards. 

The Gophers (7-12, 2-8 Landmark) got off on the right foot as they turned in a 16-for-32 shooting percentage (.500) in the opening two quarters of the game.

Led by Bull's seven points in the first, the visiting team rode an 11-3 run in the remaining six minutes of play to take the 13-9 lead into the second quarter.

Two made free throws by Rachael Anstine with 7:53 on the clock capped an 8-2 run by Juniata, which tied the game up at 17 apiece. Though, Goucher always answered back. Two jumpers by India Perkins (Brentwood, Md./Bladensburg) — one with 7:31 remaining and another with 3:02 on the clock— gave the Gophers a two point advantage.

At the half, Goucher held a 37-30 lead.

Scoring was at a premium in the opening minute and 58 seconds of the third quarter as both teams exchanged possessions but couldn't find the basket. Natalie Hager — who finished with 14 points — then made a layup with eight minutes remaining and rattled off six straight points in favor of Juniata to cut the seven point deficit down to one.

Seconds later, Olivia Nono (Silver Spring, Md./Montgomery Blair) made a jumper, which extended the lead back to three. From there, the Gophers tallied points on eight of their 12 final possessions in the third to take a 53-39 lead. 

In the final quarter, the Eagles (6-13, 1-9 Landmark) cut Goucher's lead to four, twice, but the visiting team made five of its seven free throws late in the game to crush any chance of a comeback.

Amaka Ezeani (Silver Spring, Md./Paint Branch) scored 14 points while Perkins added nine points with nine rebounds in the win.

"Good win for us tonight because we played with effort and had a strong showing on the defensive side of the ball," Daniel's commented after the game. "I'm proud of how we have responded in our games this week, but we still have to get better for our next game this Saturday."

Goucher travels to the United States Merchant Marine Academy on Saturday to face the Mariners. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m.