Lehigh University
Penn
Mountain Hawks fall to Penn in home-opener 54-53
11/16/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Penn’s Maggie Burgess hit a jumper with 14 seconds remaining to put Penn in front 54-53, and after a last second attempt by Lehigh was off the mark, the Mountain Hawks fell in its home-opener on Thursday night at Stabler Arena. Lehigh now falls to 1-1 on the season and Penn improves to 1-0.
The Mountain Hawks jumped out to a quick start, going 7-for-7 from the field in the first 8:23 of the game. Senior Sara Ellis got it started as she sank a three-pointer just seven seconds into the game. The Quakers would go on to make a quick comeback, using a late first-half rally to carry a 34-30 lead heading into halftime.
Several missed jumpers and three-pointers plagued the Mountain Hawks for the first three minutes of the second half as they only got four points off two Ellis free throws and a lay-up by classmate Adrienne Blount and trailed Penn 38-34. However, Lehigh would mount a comeback as Blount scored four straight points en route to bringing the score to 40-38.
With 4:16 left in the game, Joey Rhoads gave the Quakers a five-point lead, but Lehigh would cut into that deficit as the Mountain Hawks got a lay-up from sophomore Melissa Rich and two free throws from freshman Kristen Dalton. With a one-and-one, Ellis nailed both of her free throws to give the Mountain Hawks a 53-52 advantage with 1:24 remaining.
On her only shot of the game, Burgess hit her jumper, which would ultimately prove to be the game-winning shot.
Blount led the Mountain Hawks in scoring as she went 10-for-11 at the line and netted 18 points. Additionally, she pulled down a game-high seven rebounds. Ellis chipped in with 11 points and had a team-high four assists.
Monica Naltner and Joey Rhoads led the way for the Quakers, each scoring 18 points.
Lehigh returns to action on Sunday when they host
