Courtesy: Jennifer Werner, Associate Director of Athletic Communications
Release: 11/16/2006
Courtesy: University of Pennsylvania
BETHLEHEM, Pa.Sophomore Maggie Burgess banked two points to put the Penn
womens
basketball team ahead of Lehigh 54-53 with 15 seconds remaining. Despite
controlling most of the game, the Quakers had allowed the Mountain Hawks
back in
the game with four made free throws in the final two minutes.
Penn began the season with a win, as it has the past three seasons. Lehigh
fell to
1-1 on the season, Thursday night in Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, Pa. The
Quakers
defeated their in-state rival in a similarly exciting fa****on last season
in a
76-73 overtime thriller at The Palestra.
Senior leader****p played an im****tant role with tri-captains Joey Rhoads,
Monica
Naltner and Lauren Pears dominating the stats. Rhoads and Naltner co-led
the Red
and Blue with 18 points apiece. Pears anchored the Quaker defensive effort
in a
career night. Her six rebounds (five defensive) and eight assists set
career
game-highs for the guard who was sidelined with an injury last season.
Pears also
led the team with five steals.
Penns preseason emphasis on defense showed in the first half when Lehighs
dangerous
Andrienne Blount was not allowed a shot for 17:34 of the game. She made
four free
throws earlier in the period and was 10-11 from the line in the game.
Blount led
the Hawks with 18 points while Sara Ellis also scored in double digits
with 11.
Lehigh tried to set a tone nailing a three-pointer just seven seconds into
the
game, but Rhoads nipped the Hawks 5-0 run when she was fouled shooting
three at
18:51, made them all and then sunk another three at 18:33. She was
3-for-10 from
beyond the arc in the game. The long shots were working for Penn with
Naltner
making 2-of-7 and sophomore Kelly Scott nailing a perfect 2-for-2, tying
her
career-high.
Penn shot 40-percent from the field in the first half and 38.9-percent in
the game.
Lehigh was more efficient in the first half shooting 43.5, but fell off in
the
second with 21.7-percent. Lehigh held the advantage with 20 free throw
op****tunities to Penns nine.
The Quakers continue on the road at Rider Sunday. Tip-off is set for 2
p.m. Penn
will open its home slate with Big 5 opponent La Salle, Tuesday at The
Palestra.
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