Feb 15, 2011
Box Score
ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. — Though they came in with the best scoring differential in the Commonwealth Conference, No. 16 Lebanon Valley knew it would be in for a battle against a scrappy Elizabethtown women's basketball team. The Blue Jays put forth a valiant effort while fighting for their playoff lives, but the visiting Flying Dutchmen were able to creep away at the end, leaving Thompson Gymnasium with a 62-53 win Tuesday evening.
LVC (22-2, 12-1 CC) was bolstered by the play of point guard Andrea Hoover. Hoover scored a game-high 20 points and dished out a game-high six assists, breaking Lebanon Valley's career record for assists in the process. She knocked down 12 of her 20 markers in the second half, as the visitors outscored E-town (13-10, 5-8 CC) 35-26 after being deadlocked 27-27 at halftime.
Stephanie Ellwood and Megan Strohman did their best to keep the Jays in it, and in it they were. Ellwood and Strohman were both 4-of-9 from the floor. Three of Ellwood's baskets were from deep, helping her to a team-high 13 points. Strohman was one shy of that with 12. Elizabethtown kept the game within one position into the final six minutes of regulation. A Kendra Beittel 3-pointer closed the gap to 45-42 with 5:40 to play, but LVC responded with a Suzie Noyes bucket and a 3-ball from Tierney Hiltz.
After Ellwood knocked down a three, Hiltz —who misfired on her first six attempts Tuesday— buried another three to extend LVC's lead back to eight, 53-45, with 3:40 to play. Hiltz managed to hit her final three field goal attempts and finished with 11 points.
The Blue Jays got a productive effort from Kelly Sauerzopf, who like Ellwood and Strohman, finished with a 4-of-9 shooting effort on the night. Sauerzopf scored nine points, grabbed four boards and tied a season-high with four blocks.
The night would have been humongous for the Jays had they pulled the upset. Albright, just 3-9 in the Commonwealth coming into Tuesday, upset Alvernia by 20 points, 69-49. As it stands, the Jays are still a game back of Alvernia for the fourth and final playoff spot. Alvernia is at LVC Saturday, while E-town travels to Arcadia. If the two teams tie, the first tiebreaker would be head-to-head. Since the teams split the season series, records against the league's top opponents would come into play to determine who earns the No. 4 seed.
Kendra Beittel and Teanna Ziegler each had six points for E-town, which shot 38.5 percent (20-of-52) for the game. Liz Borgia was the third Flying Dutchman in double figures as she posted 10 points. LVC's Hoover, Caitlin Murphy and Caitlin Barch all shared the game-high in rebounds with seven apiece.
E-town travels to Arcadia for a 1 p.m. tip-off Saturday afternoon. The game concludes the regular season. The Commonwealth Conference semifinals take place next Wednesday at the site of the higher seeds.
ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. — Though they came in with the best scoring differential in the Commonwealth Conference, No. 16 Lebanon Valley knew it would be in for a battle against a scrappy Elizabethtown women's basketball team. The Blue Jays put forth a valiant effort while fighting for their playoff lives, but the visiting Flying Dutchmen were able to creep away at the end, leaving Thompson Gymnasium with a 62-53 win Tuesday evening.
LVC (22-2, 12-1 CC) was bolstered by the play of point guard Andrea Hoover. Hoover scored a game-high 20 points and dished out a game-high six assists, breaking Lebanon Valley's career record for assists in the process. She knocked down 12 of her 20 markers in the second half, as the visitors outscored E-town (13-10, 5-8 CC) 35-26 after being deadlocked 27-27 at halftime.
Stephanie Ellwood and Megan Strohman did their best to keep the Jays in it, and in it they were. Ellwood and Strohman were both 4-of-9 from the floor. Three of Ellwood's baskets were from deep, helping her to a team-high 13 points. Strohman was one shy of that with 12. Elizabethtown kept the game within one position into the final six minutes of regulation. A Kendra Beittel 3-pointer closed the gap to 45-42 with 5:40 to play, but LVC responded with a Suzie Noyes bucket and a 3-ball from Tierney Hiltz.
After Ellwood knocked down a three, Hiltz —who misfired on her first six attempts Tuesday— buried another three to extend LVC's lead back to eight, 53-45, with 3:40 to play. Hiltz managed to hit her final three field goal attempts and finished with 11 points.
The Blue Jays got a productive effort from Kelly Sauerzopf, who like Ellwood and Strohman, finished with a 4-of-9 shooting effort on the night. Sauerzopf scored nine points, grabbed four boards and tied a season-high with four blocks.
The night would have been humongous for the Jays had they pulled the upset. Albright, just 3-9 in the Commonwealth coming into Tuesday, upset Alvernia by 20 points, 69-49. As it stands, the Jays are still a game back of Alvernia for the fourth and final playoff spot. Alvernia is at LVC Saturday, while E-town travels to Arcadia. If the two teams tie, the first tiebreaker would be head-to-head. Since the teams split the season series, records against the league's top opponents would come into play to determine who earns the No. 4 seed.
Kendra Beittel and Teanna Ziegler each had six points for E-town, which shot 38.5 percent (20-of-52) for the game. Liz Borgia was the third Flying Dutchman in double figures as she posted 10 points. LVC's Hoover, Caitlin Murphy and Caitlin Barch all shared the game-high in rebounds with seven apiece.
E-town travels to Arcadia for a 1 p.m. tip-off Saturday afternoon. The game concludes the regular season. The Commonwealth Conference semifinals take place next Wednesday at the site of the higher seeds.