Feb. 13, 2007
Box Score
LEWISBURG, Pa. - For a solid 30 minutes of basketball, Lafayette hung with league-leader Bucknell until the Bison closed the game riding a 16-6 run, turning what was a close game into a 53-39 lopsided affair on Tuesday night at Sojka Pavilion.
Lafayette's (6-20, 4-7) Cristin Zavocki and Vanessa Van De Venter combined to score five quick points to take what would be the Leopards' final lead of the night (22-20) just 1:21 into the second half. Bucknell countered with 13-2 surge, giving the Bison a 33-22 cushion with 14 minutes to play.
The Leopards proceeded to score nine of the next 11 points, punctuated by a three-ball at the top of the key from senior guard Kara Stetler, trimming the deficit to four (33-29) with 12:45 to play. The Leopards cut the lead to four on two more occasions over the next three minutes, but it was Bucknell's push over the final nine minutes that proved too much for the Leopards.
Both teams struggled to find the rim in the opening half and played to a 20-17 score in favor of Bucknell at the break. Van De Venter paced Lafayette with six first-half points, but it was freshman Danielle Jenkins nailed a big three from the left baseline to tie the game at 17-all with 4:21 to go. Bucknell proceeded to score the final three points of the half to enter the intermission with the lead.
Lafayette shot 33 percent (16-of-49) on the game, while the Bison managed 44 percent (17-of-39). Van De Venter led the Leopards with 14 points, while sophomore forward Emily Garner grabbed a team-high nine boards, as the Leopards out-rebounded Bucknell, 32-27.
Van De Venter and classmate Brittany Purr defended Bucknell's leading scorer Hope Foster and held her to just four first-half points. However, the 6-2 junior finished with her ninth double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 boards.
The Leopards return to Kirby Sports Center for the final home game of the regular season, as Lafayette plays host to archrival Lehigh on Saturday at 1 p.m. The Leopards and Moutain Hawks are currently in a four-way tie with Colgate and Navy for fifth in the Patriot League standings.
Game Notes:
-Sophomore transfer Meaghan Malone earned her second straight start of the season.
-Junior Vanessa Van De Venter has now averaged 15.7 points a game in the Leopards' last three contests.
-Head coach Tammy Smith got 19 minutes of playing time out of a hampered Val Gomez.
-Due to snowfall and a mild fire in the back end of an Easton Coach bus, the trip to Lewisburg, Pa. took Lafayette's team five hours. No one was hurt in the fire, but an additional Easton Coach bus was needed. There was no delay in the 7 p.m. start.
