JANUARY 19, 2005
BOB ZIADIE
SCRANTON WOMEN EDGE KING'S IN BATTLE OF
NATIONALLY-RANKED SQUADS
WILKES-BARRE -- Eileen Webster scored 14 points with 10 rebounds to lead
the sixth-ranked University of Scranton women's basketball team to a 56-49
victory over 15th ranked King's Wednesday in Scandlon Gymnasium.
With the win, Scranton improved to 14-1 overall and 5-0 in Freedom
Conference play. King's slipped to 13-2 and 4-1 in conference
action. King's previous loss came to Messiah College, currently
ranked number-one nationally in Division III.
King's opened the game with a 4-0 lead on a pair of buckets from Vienna
Spitler. But the Lady Monarchs suffered a severe blow when senior
forward Katie Lala, the team's third leading scorer and rebounder, went
down with a knee injury just 4:02 into the game and did not return.
King's, which was already playing without injured sixth-man Cindy Baral,
had its problems further compiled when starting center and second leading
scorer Kristin Yeasted picked up her second foul and went to the bench for
the final13:55 of the half.
The Lady Monarchs, however, would extend the lead to
12-5 with 8:01 left in the half on a bucket by Beth Jordan. Scranton would
answer with a an 8-0 run and took a 13-12 lead with 5:22 remaining on a
bucket by Taryn Mellody.
The teams would trade leads until Mellody tied the game at 23-23 with 0:31
left with a pair of foul shots. Scranton capitalized on a King's turnover
and took a 26-23 lead into the half when Mellody drained a three-pointer
with 0:03 on the clock.
In the second half, King's would regain the lead when a basket by Jordan
gave the Lady Monarchs a 31-30 lead with 15:48 remaining. Scranton
would counter with a 17-9 run and built its biggest lead of the game at
48-39 on back-to-back field goals by Webster.
King's would cut the lead to 48-44 with 3:18 left when Colette Makowiec
hit a three-pointer, followed by a short jumper but the Lady Monarchs
would draw no closer.
Webster was 6-of-10 from the field to pace Scranton while Alison Matt
followed with 11 points. Melody scored eight of her 10 points in the
first half to aid the Scranton cause.
Jordan was the only King's to reach double figures
with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Spitler added eight points and three
assists while Andrea Hochstuhl and Makoweic chipped in with seven points
each.
