Box Score  | Hoops for Hounds Tournament Central

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – A career-high 25 points from junior Julia Antonelli (Hanover, Pa./New Oxford) helped the Lycoming College women’s basketball team stay close with a tough Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts team, but a late rally from the Trailblazers helped them take a 73-69 decision in the opening round of the seventh Hoops for Hounds Tournament at Lamade Gym on Friday evening, Dec. 28.
 
Antonelli added 12 rebounds for her third double-double of the season. She hit 11-of-17 shots from the floor and added an assist, a block and a steal in the game for the Warriors (2-7 overall). Her 25 points were the sixth-most in the seven-year history of the Hoops for Hounds Tournament and the 11 field goals were third most.
 
The Trailblazers (6-4 overall) were led by 24 points and nine rebounds from Lucy Tremblay and 15 points and six rebounds from Danielle Beauchamp.
 
MCLA took control of the game with a 23-6 run that helped it take a 69-63 lead with 45 seconds left. The Warriors fought back gamely, as freshman Shannon Wheeler (Cranford, N.J./Linden) hit a traditional 3-point play and after a pair of MCLA free throws, sophomore Janelle Ziminski (Drums, Pa./Hazleton Area) hit a second-chance 3-pointer to make it a two-point game with 11 seconds left. The Trailblazers hit two free throws, though, to seal the win.
 
The Warriors took control early in the second half, spurred on by a pair of layups by sophomore Kat Andriani (Ephrata, Pa./Ephrata), which started a 19-6 run that was capped by back-to-back layups from Antonelli and Wheeler, giving Lycoming a 55-46 lead with 8:06 left when MCLA began its run.
 
The two teams fought through three ties and four lead changes in the first 20 minutes of the game. Lycoming used a 6-0 run to take its first lead at 13-12 with 12:31 left and the Warriors got the lead up to three points with 11:14 left after a jumper by junior Victoria Kowalski (Mahopac, N.Y./Lakeland) made it 17-14.
 
The Trailblazers took the lead back with 9:34 left in the half and built it up to seven points with 5:42 left after a 14-6 run, but the Warriors fought back, closing within two points after a trey by senior Leeann Randall (Audobon, Pa./Methacton). The Trailblazers got the lead back to seven before a late layup by Antonelli made it 35-30 in favor of MCLA at the break.
 
Wheeler finished with 10 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals and Ziminski added nine points, six rebounds and four steals. Senior Rachael Scheller (Sunbury, Pa./Shikellamy) drove the offense for 34 minutes, finishing with four points, eight assists and five steals. Andriani added six points and four assists and sophomore Ali Derr (New Columbia, Pa./Milton Area) added six points and four rebounds.
 
Johanna Miner posted 14 points and nine rebounds and Danielle Scolpino and Kait Chenevert each posted eight points for MCLA.
 
The Warriors get back in action on Saturday, Dec. 29 at 1 p.m. when they face Eastern in the consolation game of the Hoops for Hounds Tournament at Lamade Gym. Eastern fell to Susquehanna, 53-49, in the other first round game of the tournament. Susquehanna and MCLA will play for the tournament title at 3 p.m.