Box Score
Box Score
HUNTINGDON, Pa. - Senior forward Sarah Payonk (Schwenksville, Pa./Spring-Ford) scored a game-high 23 points and went over 1,000 rebounds for her career during the contest, as the University of Scranton women's basketball team rallied in the fourth quarter to knock off host Juniata, 76-62, on Saturday in Landmark Conference action on the road.
With the win, the Lady Royals (ranked 14th in the D3Hoops.com Top 25 and 12th in the WBCA Coaches' Top 25), improved to 18-3 overall and 7-3 in the Landmark Conference with the victory. Juniata fell to 9-12 and 1-9 in the Landmark with the defeat.
To start off, Scranton was able to open an early lead on the host Eagles, but Juniata kept it close until the Lady Royals ended the first quarter on a 9-3 run to take a 19-13 lead entering the second quarter.
But, in the second quarter, Juniata gradually got themselves back in the game, eventually tying the game at 28-all with 4:33 left in the first half. A 10-2 Eagle run followed that, giving Juniata their biggest lead of the game to that point at 38-32 with a minute left in the frame.
Although Scranton sophomore guard Bridgette Mann (Canadensis, Pa./Wallenpaupack) nailed a three at the buzzer, Juniata went into intermission with a lead at 38-35. Scranton did start the second half well, scoring the first six points to take a 41-38 lead, but Junaita came back again, eventually opening up a six-point lead (53-47) with 2:44 left.
Here, the Lady Royals began the run that put them ahead for good, as a quick 7-0 spurt by Scranton gave the Lady Royals the lead back at 54-53 with 28 seconds left in the period. That lead held for Scranton over the final moments of the frame, as the game headed into the fourth with the Lady Royals leading, 56-55.
To open the fourth, Juniata quickly took the lead back with a three (58-56). But, Scranton grabbed the momentum back and clamped down on defense, as the Lady Royals went on a game-clinching 14-0 run over six minutes to open an insurmountable 72-58 lead with 3:49 left.
Once Scranton went up double-digits on Juniata, the Eagles couldn't come back, and when the dust finally settled at the end of the quarter, the Lady Royals went on to outscore Juniata 20-7 to take the game by 14 points. Scranton also held Juniata to just four points over the final nine minutes of the contest, as well.
Overall, it was an historic day for Payonk in her 23-point performance, as she went over the 1,000-rebound mark for her career after snagging seven 'boards off the glass in the win.
Payonk (who also dished out seven assists in the victory) is now only one of two student-athletes in program history to pull down over 1,000 rebounds for their careers at Scranton, joining Judy Moye (1975-79) who is the programs all-time leader in rebounding with 1,032 'boards.
Elsewhere, fellow senior forward Alexix Roman (Hawley, Pa./Wallenpaupack) posted another double-double in the win, finishing with 22 points and 12 rebounds. For Roman, this marked the eighth time on the year that she had posted a double-double, and was the eighth time for the year she scored at least 20 points in a game for the Lady Royals.
Rounding out the double-digit scorers on the day for Scranton was Mann, who finished with 12 points to go along with four assists.
The University of Scranton women's basketball team continues a four-game road trip on Wednesday, as the Lady Royals head to Drew for a Landmark Conference match-up. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
--LADY ROYALS--
