SELINSGROVE, Pa. – The University of Scranton women's basketball team had sticky fingers on Saturday, at least at the defensive end. The Lady Royals made 14 steals and forced 24 turnovers while 11 players scored at least four points each in a 79-61 victory over Susquehanna in the Landmark Conference opener at Houts Gymnasium.
Scranton (3-2) turned those 24 Susquehanna turnovers into 24 points on the offensive end en route to equaling their highest point total of the season. Nine different players had steals for the Lady Royals, including four who had at least two apiece.
The Lady Royals also had 21 assists on 28 made baskets, easily their highest assist total of the season.
Junior forward Meredith Mesaris (Fairfax, Va./Fairfax) led Scranton with 16 points to go along with five rebounds and two steals. Freshman forward Sarah Payonk (Schwenksville, Pa./Spring-Ford) had 12 points, five rebounds, three steals and two assists, senior guard Alison Sweeney (Wall, N.J./St. Rose) had 10 points and junior guard Lindsay Fluehr (Bensalem, Pa./Nazareth Academy) had another strong all-around game with seven points, eight assists, six rebounds and two steals.
Scranton used a 13-3 run midway through the first half to turn a 17-all tie into a 30-20 lead. Senior forward Katie Sherry (Havertown, Pa./Merion Mercy Academy) had five of her seven points during the run.
The Lady Royals extended their lead to 43-30 at halftime as Sweeney and Sherry both had seven points, junior guard Stephanie Keyes (Huntingdon Valley, Pa./Archbishop Wood) had six points on a pair of 3-pointers, and Fluehr had six assists.
Susquehanna (2-3) pulled within nine early in the second half, but Scranton pulled away as Mesaris had 10 second-half points and Payonk added eight.
The Lady Royals shot 40 percent (28-for-70) from the field, including 5-for-13 (38.5 percent) from 3-point range. They also made 18 of 24 (75 percent) from the free throw line while committing just 11 turnovers. Scranton also won the rebounding battle, 44-39.
Freshman guard Faith DeVlieger (Drexel Hill, Pa./Agnes Irwin) made her first career start for Scranton and finished with six points, five rebounds, two steals and two assists. Junior guard Lia DiSciascio (Broomall, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) added six points and five rebounds off the bench.
Susquehanna received a game-high 21 points from senior guard Mariah Monahan (Towanda, Pa./Towanda Area) and freshman guard Nikki Komara (Shamokin, Pa./Lourdes Regional) had 14 points and 11 rebounds.
The Crusaders shot 35.6 percent (21-for-59), including eight of 17 (47.1 percent) from 3-point range, although they made just two of their last 10 from beyond the arc after hitting six of seven to open the game.
With the win, Scranton is now 35-1 all-time against Susquehanna.
The Lady Royals are back in action on Saturday, Dec. 14, when they play their home opener against Landmark Conference foe Merchant Marine Academy at 4 p.m. in the Long Center.
--ROYALS--