HUNTINGDON, Pa. --- The Moravian College women's basketball team dropped a 74-61 decision to No. 20 Juniata College in Landmark Conference action Saturday afternoon.
The Greyhounds, who were playing their second nationally-ranked opponent of the week, fall to 12-5 overall and 2-4 in Landmark Conference play this season. Sophomore guard Maddie Capuano led the Hounds with 22 points to go with four rebounds, two assists and two steals while graduate student forward Camille McPherson had her third double-double of the season and the 11th of her career with 17 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.
Sophomore forward Nadine Ewald contributed six points and a pair of boards while senior forward Trista Cunningham and junior guard Emily Walls each scored five points with Cunningham adding three rebounds and Walls grabbing four boards. Sophomore guard Karlie Brogan had four points and three rebounds while junior forward Ariana Caiati added three rebounds and two points and senior forward Ciara Stewart also had three rebounds to go with a pair of blocked shots.
The Greyhounds were cold from the floor in the opening half, making just 7-of-30 field goal attempts (23.3 percent), and Moravian shot just 19-of-63 from the field and 3-of-15 beyond the three-point line in the game while making 20-of-23 free throws. Juniata had a 45-41 edge in rebounds while the Blue and Grey had a 16-14 advantage on the offensive glass.
Capuano gave Moravian a quick 2-0 lead with a pair of free throws on the Greyhounds' first possession but the Eagles scored the next nine points to take control of the game. Juniata pushed its edge to 11 points before a late three-pointer by Capuano had the Hounds down 17-9 after ten minutes of action.
Juniata pushed its lead back to 11 points twice in the second quarter before McPherson pulled the Blue and Grey within five points, 28-23, with a three-point play in the final minute of the first half but the Eagles scored again to head to the locker room with a 30-27 advantage.
McPherson hit a three-pointer to put the Greyhounds down five again, 33-28, early in the third quarter before a 15-4 run by Juniata stretched the Eagles advantage to 16 points, 48-32, with 3:15 left in the period. Moravian would get within seven points twice in the fourth quarter before Juniata hit 7-of-8 free throws in the final minute to keep the Hounds from getting any closer.
Moravian is scheduled to return to action on Wednesday, January 24 when the squad will host Goucher College in a Landmark Conference game in Johnston Hall tipping off at 7:00 p.m.