Box Score

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Using a season-high 18 steals, the Lycoming College women’s basketball team scored 27 points off turnover and shot a steady 41 percent from the field to cruise to a 66-55 win over Arcadia University in Commonwealth Conference action at Lamade Gymnasium on Saturday, Dec. 8.
 
“I thought it was key to create points off their turnovers,” Lycoming College head coach Christen Ditzler said. “Defensively, we covered shooters pretty well and did some nice things and we rebounded well.”
 
Junior Julia Antonelli (Hanover, Pa./New Oxford) led the Warriors (2-5 overall, 2-2 Commonwealth) with 12 points and four rebounds, as she was a perfect 5-for-5 from the field. Freshman Shannon Wheeler (Cranford, N.J./Linden) added 10 points, four assists and three steals as the team used a balanced scoring attack that saw 11 players figure into the scoring.
 
“Right now, we are 2-2 in the league so that’s wonderful,” Ditzler said. “That’s right where we can be. We can build on that and hopefully we do.”
 
Lycoming leapt out to an 8-0 lead over the first three minutes of the game and never looked back while leading wire-to-wire. The Knights (4-4 overall, 0-4 Commonwealth) closed within two points once, after a 3-pointer from Michaela Holleran made it 14-12 with 10:10 left in the first half, but Lycoming answered over the next three minutes with three buckets, a jumper by Antonelli, a 3-pointer from freshman Shanley Harlacker (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion) and a fastbreak layup by Wheeler on a give from freshman Taylor Ford (Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest). The buckets started a 18-6 run that ended the half and gave the Warriors a 31-18 lead at halftime.
 
The Warriors maintained the double-digit lead throughout the second half and got it to as many as 21 points thanks to an 8-0 run that was capped on a fastbreak layup by freshman Olivia Manges (York, Pa./West York) that made it 56-35 with 7:36 left.
 
With the lead still at 21 with 3:14 left after a pair of 3-pointers by senior Leeann Randall (Audobon, Pa./Methacton), the Knights closed the game on a 12-2 run to make up the final 11-point margin.
 
Lycoming held Arcadia to just 29.4 percent from the floor, including 19.2 percent in the first half. Forcing 35 turnovers, the Warriors picked up 18 steals and 16 fastbreak points.
 
Harlacker finished with eight points, two assists and two steals and both Randall, Manges and sophomore Janelle Ziminski (Drums, Pa./Hazleton Area) each added six points. Sophomore Kat Andriani (Ephrata, Pa./Ephrata) notched five points, seven rebounds, three assists, three blocks and four steals. Freshman Chelsea Henderson (Yonkers, N.Y./Yonkers) posted a game-high eight rebounds.
 
Valerie DiMuro led four Knights in double figures, finishing with 12 points and six rebounds. Sara DeCinque added 11 points and three steals and both Samantha Caligiuri and Dominique Hassinger added 10. Caliguri led the team with four steals.
 
The Warriors get back on the court on Friday, Dec. 14, when they face Messiah in a Commonwealth Conference doubleheader. The women face the No. 8 Falcons at 2 p.m. and the men will face off in a 4 p.m. rematch of the 2012 Commonwealth Conference championship game.