WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – The Lycoming College women's basketball team forced Albright College into 28 turnovers, but Albright shot 50 percent from the field and was able to overcome a first-half deficit to post a 61-54 Commonwealth Conference win at Lamade Gym on Wednesday night, Jan. 7.
 
Albright got out to a quick start, taking a 12-4 lead in the first six minutes, but foul trouble forced double-double averaging Kelecia Harris to the bench within the first five minutes of the half. Without Harris, the Warriors went to work in the post, scoring 14 points point in the paint in the last 14 minutes of the half. Junior Chelsea Henderson (Yonkers, N.Y./Yonkers) led the way during that time, scoring nine points.
 
The Warriors were also able to take advantage of 17 turnovers in the first half from the Lions, as the aggressive defense posted 10 steals and helped the team to 13 points off turnover.
 
Lycoming responded to that early 12-4 run by Albright with a 15-2 run that helped them take a 19-14 lead with 7:35 left when junior Olivia Manges (York, Pa./West York) delivered a quick pass on the break near midcourt to senior Janelle Ziminski (Drums, Pa./Hazleton), who zoomed in for the layup.
 
Two minutes later, Albright had whittled the lead down to one point, but Lycoming responded with an 8-3 run, scoring back-to-back fastbreak buckets, one on a layup from Henderson and one on a transition 19-footer from junior Victoria Siebecker (Cleona, Pa./Annville-Cleona). Albright was able to cut the lead down to three points at the break.
 
In the second half, Harris was a stabilizing force for the Lions, posting 13 points and seven rebounds in the period, while the Lions were forced into just nine turnovers. The Warriors, meanwhile, struggled from the field, shooting 20 percent in the period.
 
Lycoming started the period with a jumper from senior Ali Derr (New Columbia, Pa./Milton Area), but Albright reeled off an 11-2 run after that to take a 39-35 lead with 14:51 left. The Warriors kept the game in one-possession territory for much of the next six minutes before back-to-back layups by Harris made it 49-43 with 7:39 left.
 
The Warriors quickly answered, as Ziminski nailed a 3-pointer and two minutes later, a pair of free throws from freshman Shelby Mueller (Collegeville, Pa./Spring-Ford) made it a one-point game at 51-50. After a free throw from Albright's Emily O'Donnell, Siebecker calmly drained a baseline jumper to tie the game at 52 with 2:48 left.
 
The Lions got back-to-back layups, though, to take a 56-52 lead. Siebecker cut the lead back to two with 1:45 left on another jumper, but the Lions closed the game out with five free throws to earn the seven-point win.
 
Derr finished with 12 points and four rebounds and Henderson added 11 points and five rebounds. Siebecker notched eight points and three rebounds and Ziminski notched six points, nine rebounds and three assists. Calella added seven points, six assists and five steals and Mueller added six points and eight rebounds.
 
Shannon Thomas led Albright with 14 points, five assists and five rebounds and Harris finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks. Jane Joyce also added 11 points and five assists.
 
The Warriors get back on the court on Saturday, Jan. 10, when they head to Arcadia for another Commonwealth Conference doubleheader. The men will tip at 1 p.m. before the women play at 3 p.m.