Feb. 10, 2006
Box Score
Baltimore, Md. - The Loyola College women's basketball team used a 33-13 halftime lead to defeat Rider, 60-40 Friday night in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action at Reitz Arena. The Greyhounds improve to 14-4 on the season and 9-4 in conference play while the Broncs fall to 2-20 with the loss and 1-12 in the MAAC.
Both teams were cold to start the game, missing a combined 17 shots in the first six minutes of play. With Loyola leading 8-1 and 14:18 on the clock, both teams warmed up and hit the next seven combined shots for a 14-7 Loyola lead at 12:22. The Greyhounds were 4-for-4 in the two minute stretch with the Broncs were 3-for-3 from the floor.
After a 1-for-2 effort from the free-throw line by Rider's Chris Catalanotto, Loyola went on an 11-point run to take a 25-8 lead at 6:42. Katie Scherle scored two baskets in the run while Kerri-Lynn Orsini added a three, Jill Glessner scored two points and Krystle Harrington hit two free-throws for the Greyhounds.
Catalonotto broke up Loyola's run with a basket at 6:14 for the 25-10 score but the Greyhounds rattled off the next six straight points, two each from the line for Scherle and Jackie Valderas and a lay-up by Glesner, to claim their largest lead, 31-10 with 3:31 to play in the first half.
Rider's Danielle Costantino hit a three at 2:49 to give Rider a 13-point total for the first half while Valderas hit two free-throws with two minutes left to close out the first half with Loyola leading 33-13.
The teams were cold again to start the second-half but with the score set at 34-17 and the clock at 18:04, the Greyhounds scored seven unanswered points to up their largest lead to 24 with a 41-17 score with 14 minutes to play. Loyola retained that lead with 10:48 left to play and scored the next six points to earn a 30-point advantage, 51-21 with just under nine minutes on the clock.
Over the final eight minutes, Rider hit 8-of-8 shots from the free-throw line while adding two baskets from Janele Henderson and a three-point basket and a jumper by Costantino while the Greyhounds hit 7-of-14 shots at the charity stripe for the 60-40 final score.
Loyola posted four players in double-figures with Valderas and Orsini leading the way at 12 off the bench. Orsini's 12 points were a season-high. Scherle and Glessner each added 10 points. Vanessa Ruffin and Brittany Dunn each pulled down a career-high in rebounds with 11 and 10 respectively.
Costantino led Rider with 12 points off the bench. She was followed by Henderson with nine and Kara Borel with eight and a team-high 10 rebounds.
The Greyhounds out-rebounds the Broncs 54-36. The 54 rebounds was a season-high for Loyola.
Every player on Loyola's roster played at least eight minutes in the game.
Loyola returns to the road as the Greyhounds visit Siena on Sunday, Feb. 12.
