By: Jennifer Jones
Director of Sports Information
jonesj@juniata.edu • juniatasports.net
KINGS POINT, N.Y. – Juniata College women's basketball cruised to an 88-34 win over Landmark Conference rival Merchant Marine Academy Saturday afternoon on the road. The Eagles (9-8, 2-4 Landmark) scored first and never relinquished their lead, dropping back-to-back 80-point games for the first time since December. Merchant Marine fell to 4-11 (1-6 Landmark) with the loss.
Juniata's 23 steals tied a program record. The Eagles shot 54 percent as a team and scored 42 points in the paint, 29 off turnovers.
Sophomore Paige Dennison (East Berlin, Pa./Bermudian Springs) put up a game and career-high 26 points making 12-of-18 from the floor, while contributing a career-high four steals. Senior Kate McDonald (Pennsylvania Furnace, Pa./State College, Pa.) worked her way into the history books while earning her 12th double-double of the year with 18 points and a game and career-high 10 steals. The fourth of her six rebounds made her only the third student-athlete in Juniata basketball history to record 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in their career.
Freshman Olivia Halfpenny (McVeytown, Pa./Mifflin County) and junior Kelsey Livoti (Altoona, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle) also finished in double-figure points. Halfpenny went 6-for-8, hitting a game-high three shots from behind the arch for her 15 points. Livoti finished with 11 points, respectively, grabbing a game-high nine rebounds.
Juniata remains on the road for more conference play. The Eagles take on Susquehanna University this Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 7 p.m. This is the first meeting of the teams this season and Juniata is 29-43 all-time against the Crusaders in a rivalry that dates back to the 1974-75 season. The Eagles have won the battle 8-2 in recent history and are on a five-game win streak against Susquehanna. Their last time in Selinsgrove they walked away with a 61-47 win.
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