Box Score

Despite a game-high 14 points from Jessica Venturelli and a game-high nine rebounds from Meghan Boyle, the visiting Blue Jays of Elizabethtown College (10-4, 3-1 Commonwealth Conference) used a balanced scoring attack and a strong second half to defeat the Albright women's basketball team (4-11, 0-4) by the score of 70-42 on Saturday afternoon in the Bollman Center.

The Lions were hurt by poor shooting from the field as they shot just 13-for-54 (24.1 percent). Though Albright came into the game leading the conference in three-point field goal percentage, they were only able to hit 4-of-16 from behind the arc.

The first half was a see-saw affair throughout until the final minute of the period. Holding a four-point lead, Elizabethtown's Taylor Alwine used defensive pressure to record a steal before finding Katy Fogel, who nailed a three-point shot to extend the lead to seven at 29-22 with 32 seconds left. On their next possession, Nadine Yunginger hit a desperation three off the glass from the top of the key at the buzzer to give the Blue Jays a ten-point lead heading into the break.

Prior to the late run, the game was a back-and-forth battle in the first half as the teams continued to trade the lead. Albright's Amanda Tiritilli got the Lions off to a good start by hitting a three off the dribble on the game's first possession. Elizabethtown countered with back-to-back buckets to create an early 4-2 lead.

Down by two, Albright forward Samantha Martin tied things up at 8-8 with 13:21 to go on a layup off of an offensive rebound. A few minutes later, a three pointer from Marissa Ferris gave the Blue Jays a 16-12 lead halfway through the period, but Venturelli responded with a layup on a pass from Victoria Brito on Albright's next possession to cut the deficit to two.

Down 22-19, Kari Ludy took it strong to the basket for the lay-in to decrease the lead to one with just over four minutes to play before Elizabethtown went on their late first-half run.

Elizabethtown continued to extend the lead as the second half began. The Blue Jays pushed their advantage to 16 with 15:39 remaining on successful free throw by Taylor Kreider, but Venturelli responded again with a three-point shot to make it a 40-27 ballgame.

The Blue Jays increased their lead to 23 on an up-and-under from Kendra Beittel with 12:26 to go. The Lions cut the lead to 17 on a three from Venturelli, but the Blue Jays continued to keep the lead around 20 for the remainder of the game to record the victory. 

Venturelli shot 5-for-10 for her 14 points, and Ludy was next in the scoring column with seven points. Jenny Knoebel had six boards and a game-high two blocked shots.

Elizabethtown finished with only one player in double figures as Yunginger recorded 12 points. Beittel had nine and Jayci Scannapieco finished with eight. Erika Ferro had a team-high eight rebounds in just 14 minutes of action.

Women's basketball will return to action on Wednesday when they travel to crossstown rival Alvernia University for a 6 p.m. tipoff.