ERIE, Pa. - Junior guard
Julia Buchman dropped a career-high 14 as the Mercyhurst Women's Basketball team began the 2020-21 regular season 2-0 with a 58-51 victory over the visiting Lincoln University Lions on Wednesday afternoon at the Mercyhurst
The visitors scored the opening basket 31-seconds in when Kendra Stanford hit a jumper. Over the next 5:43 it was all Lakers as
Jayde Boyd started a 12-0 run to give the hosts a 12-2 edge. During that push
Paige Woodford,
Eliza Oswalt, and
Grace Centrulla also chipped in points. In a quarter runs it was then Lincoln's turn to answer back thanks to Jeana Weatherspoon, Joy Morton and Janya Lilly to get within 12-8 through one.
Mercyhurst began the second period with a 7-3 with
Nicolette Arnold, Centrulla and Buchman all hitting the bottom of the net to extend the Lakers advantage to 19-11 with 6:15 until half. With the home team holding a 22-14 lead, the Lions began their clawing back into the game ending the half on a 7-2 with Byiyanah Richardson, Kryshell Gordy, and Stanford accounting for the points.
Meghan Komendarek provided the only Mercyhurst offense with a pull-up jumper giving her team a slim 24-21 advantage through 20-minutes.
Komendarek stretched the margin to five, 26-21 with another jump shot just 18-seconds into the third, but Lincoln rallied back to grab their first lead of the game using a 6-0 run finished by Stanford to go on top 27-26. The Lakers sailed back with six consecutive points aided by four from Komendarek. Buchman and Centrulla supplied the hosts offense during a 9-4 Lions sprint to draw even 36-36 with 1:21 remaining. Komendarek continued her strong quarter by notching the final layup of the quarter sending the Lakers to the fourth up 38-37.
A pair of forwards exchanged three-pointers to crack open the fourth with Joy Morton delivering for the visitors, beofre, Komendarek hit her first collegiate three-pointer to keep the Lakers ahead by the slimmest of margins 41-40. Buchman continued the hot three point shooting for the hosts by knocking down a pair to make it 47-43, with four minutes gone. Richardson got the Lions to within 47-45, but Boyd went on a personal 5-0 push giving the Lakers a 52-45 edge. Lilly brought the guests the closest they would get the rest of the way at 55-51. However, Woodford, Buchman, Boyd and Shopene closed the game out on the line for the 58-51 win.
Team Stat Pack
Field Goal% - Hurst, 35.7% (20-56) / LU, 25.4% (17-67)
Three Point% - Hurst, 30.8% (8-26) / LU, 16.7% (3-18)
Foul Shooting% - Hurst, 71.4% (10-14) / LU, 58.3% (14-24)
Rebounds - Hurst, 44 / LU, 51
Points in the Paint - Hurst, 18 / LU, 26
Mercyhurst Individual Stats
Points - Buchman (14), Komendarek (13), Boyd (8), Woodford (7), Centrulla and Oswalt (6)
Rebounds - Boyd (9), Komendarek and Shopene (8), Oswalt (5)
Assists - Shopene (5), Boyd (4), Oswalt and Buchman (2)
Blocks - Boyd and Komendarek (5)
Lincoln Individual Stats
Points - Richardson and Lilly (9), Three players tied (7)
Rebounds - Gordy (15), Morton (6), Richardson and Brown (4)
On Deck
Mercyhurst will return to the court next Tuesday, December 15 when they welcome Salem University to the Mercyhurst Athletic Center at 12:30pm.
