Box Score

Messiah used runs of 22-4 and 23-4 to pull away from the Lions as the Albright College women's basketball team fell to the visiting Falcons, 84-43 on Saturday.

Freshman Jessica Venturelli led the Lions with 12 points, while junior Kari Ludy had a team-high seven rebounds. Senior Jenny Knoebel totaled five steals, equaling an Albright season high.

Ludy beat the shot clock for a three on Albright's first possession, before Messiah took its first lead of the game at 5-3 on Nicky Hess' three-pointer right off an inbounds pass.

Albright freshman Samantha Martin hit Venturelli with a cross-court pass and her classmate buried the jumper to make it 7-5 Messiah. It would be the last Lion field goal for a stretch of 8:13 however, as Messiah made its move.

The Falcons stretched their run to 9-1 on another three from Hess, and then to 11-1 on two free throws from Chelsea Danel. Albright could only muster free throws until a Venturelli three-pointer with 9:26 left in the first half broke a 22-4 Messiah streak and made the score 29-13.

Dori Gyori answered Venturelli's three immediately to make it 31-13 Messiah. Meghan Boyle finished a nice post move for the half's final basket, but Messiah led 45-18 at the break.

Venturelli got the second half started by banking in a three, but Albright would again go on an extended slump without a field goal.

Katelyn Vanderhoff was good with a foot on the three-point line, and the run soon stretched to 9-0 as she scored again, this time from outside the arc, to make it 56-21. Boyle broke the streak with a pair of free throws, but Messiah kept pushing as Kira Maier found Vanderhoff in transition with some impressive ball movement.

Venturelli drove hard to the basket off Knoebel's steal to mark Albright's first field goal in 5:18. However, the Falcons answered with 12 consecutive points to push the overall run to 23-4, besting their first half surge by one point.

For Messiah, Vanderhoff shot an outstanding 9-of-9 from the floor, to finish with 19 points. She also added four assists. Gyori was 7-of-9 for 17 points, as the Falcons shot 56.5% from the floor as a team.

Albright is 5-14, 1-7 and will travel to Lycoming on Wednesday. The Falcons improve to 16-3, 7-1 and will be playing for a first-place tie on Wednesday when they host league-leading Lebanon Valley.