HARRISONBURG, VA – The Eastern Mennonite University Royals women's basketball team had to wait one year to gain revenge after a loss at York College last November in York. That patience would be rewarded as the Royals downed the Spartans 84-62 in non-conference action on Wednesday night in Harrisonburg, VA.
The Royals improve to 2-1 overall while the Spartans fall to 2-1.
The Spartans could not have asked for a better start as freshman Katie Wagner (Glen Rock, Pa./Susquehannock) was a one-woman wrecking crew for York. Wagner scored the first 10 points of the game for the Spartans as the Green and White sprinted out to a 10-3 lead.
The Royals battled back as they fashioned a 17-4 run, turning their seven-point deficit into a six point lead. The Spartans went ice cold on the run as they went 1-for-7 from the field including 1-for-5 from three as the York lead evaporated and the hot start became a cold stretch.
After senior Kailee Knight (Crofton, Md./South River) got the Spartans back to within four, the Royals banged two three pointers during a 10-0 spurt that quickly pushed the EMU lead to 14 at 30-16. The Spartans would trim the lead back down to seven right before the half but the Royals got a Jonae Guest jumper with 13 seconds left in the half as EMU took a 36-27 lead to the break.
The Royals put the game away to start the second half as they hit the Green and White with a 22-9 run. That run resulted in a 22-point EMU lead with over 12 minutes remaining in the game.
York would not get any closer than 20 points over the final 10 minutes of the game. EMU pushed their lead to as many as 30 before settling for the 22 point win.
The Royals placed three players in double figures led by Jess Rheinheimer as she recorded a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Rheinheimer was 8-for-16 from the floor including a three pointer while she also had four assists. Sa'Mone Moore added 15 points and five rebounds while Shakeerah Sykes contributed 14 points.
The Royals had ten players reach the scoring column in the win.
York was powered by Wagner as she poured in 20 points for the second time in her first three collegiate games. She was 8-for-13 from the floor, 2-for-4 from three and 2-for-3 from the free throw line. Wagner also had four rebounds and three steals in the loss. Freshman Sam Mocniak (Annapolis, Md./St. Mary's Annapolis) notched a career-high 12 points off the bench for York. Sophomore Sam Hruz (White Marsh, Md./Mercy) led York on the glass with eight rebounds while she also had three blocks, three assists, and two points.
The Spartans were decimated on the glass as EMU outrebounded the Spartans 54-28 for the game. The Royals got 12 second chance points in the win.
York finished the game shooting 34.3% from the floor, 28% (7-of-25) from three while they converted 9-of-11 (81.8%) from the free throw line.
Eastern Mennonite shot 47.5% (30-of-63) from the floor while they cashed out nine three pointers in 23 attempts (39.1%). The Royals went to the line 26 times and made 15.
EMU got 49 of their 84 points off the bench in the victory.
The Spartans return home on Saturday when they host Franklin & Marshall in a non-conference contest at Wolf Gymnasium. Tip time is scheduled for 1:00 pm.