Feb. 28, 2009

Box Score

ALLENTOWN, PA - After a 1-7 start to the season, the Johns Hopkins women's basketball team fought its way to the Centennial Conference championship with a 75-58 defeat of Franklin & Marshall in Allentown, PA on Saturday. The Blue Jays improve to 14-12 with the win over the Diplomats and advance to the Centennial Conference to face Muhlenberg on Sunday. Franklin & Marshall finishes the 2008-09 season at 14-12.

The Blue Jays escaped the first half with a six-point advantage after Franklin & Marshall's Sarah Meisenberg scored 18 of the Diplomats 26 first-half points.

After Megan Pauley hit a jumper at 17:41 in the second to pull F&M within two, the Blue Jays ignited for an 18-0 run, going up 50-32 with 11:01 to play. Hopkins' 18-unanswered points proved to be too much for the Diplomats as Franklin & Marshall would not recover.

A 3-pointer by senior Caitlin Sloane began the 18 point run. Burton followed with a jumper and senior Kristin Phillips scored a layup on the next possession, making it 41-32. Junior Anastasia Wynn scored five points in the spurt.

Two free throws by Amanda Miceli ended the nearly seven minute scoring drought for Franklin & Marshall. Beth Holt scored the next layup for the Diplomats, bringing them within 14, 46-32, the closest it would be for the remainder of the game.

Phillips hit a 3-pointer to regain a 17-point lead, but two quick foul shots by Miceli brought it back to a 15-point game. Phillips would knock down another 3-pointer and Lyndsay Burton followed with a layup to put the Blue Jays up 60-40 with 7:15 to play.

With two minutes remaining, the Diplomats had whittled their way into a 15-point game after seven points from Sarah Meisenberg and a pair of free throws from Miceli.

The Blue Jays would score four of the next six points to seal the 75-58 win.

Phillips and Burton both had 17 points for the Blue Jays, leading a group of five Hopkins players in double-figures. Burton and Phillips each finished with double-doubles, pulling down 13 and 11 rebounds, respectively. Sloane finished with 12 points, while freshman Stephanie Fong scored a career-high 11 points. Wynn also had 10 points.

Sarah Meisenberg had a game-high 32 points for Franklin & Marshall, just four points short of the Centennial Conference Tournament scoring record. Beth Holt was the only other Diplomat in double-digits with 10 points.

The victory secured a trip to Sunday's Centennial Conference championship. JHU will take on Muhlenberg on its home court in a battle for the Centennial title.

Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. at Memorial Hall in Allentown, PA.