Box Score

ANNVILLE, Pa. – Junior forward Monica Johnson scored 21 points, pulled down a game- and career-high 17 rebounds, and tied a career-high with four blocked shots, but Lebanon Valley dropped a 70-58 decision to Moravian College in Commonwealth Conference women’s basketball action Wednesday evening in the LVC Gymnasium.

Although Lebanon Valley (3-8, 0-3 CC) trailed by as much as 20 midway through the second half, LVC rallied to make it an eight-point game (62-54) with 4:51 left following a 12-3 run, capped by a three-pointer from junior guard Allie Butler. But the Greyhounds scored the next four points, and LVC was unable to get the deficit under eight the rest of the way.

Moravian (12-1, 3-0 CC), ranked No. 15 nationally in the USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Coaches Poll and No. 17 in the D3hoops.com Poll, won its fifth straight game.

Junior forward Kelly Applegate paced the ’Hounds with 21 points and 11 rebounds while senior forward Stephanie Seaman had 14 points, eight rebounds, and five steals. Junior forward Jenny Hackleman had eight points and 13 boards for Moravian.

Freshman forward Megan Bish scored 11 points and corralled seven rebounds for LVC while freshman guard Amie Bickert made a season-high five steals.

Moravian, which used a full-court press for much of the game, forced LVC into a season-high 31 turnovers. Lebanon Valley held Moravian to 35.8% shooting, their best defensive performance since holding Arcadia to a 35.3% mark in their season opener.

Moravian trailed just once on the evening, when it was 5-4, and outscored LVC 11-5 to start the game. The Greyhounds’ lead reached double digits (24-14) with 10:19 left in the opening half, and they stayed ahead by at least six over the remainder of the stanza. Moravian took a 38-25 lead into the intermission.

Lebanon Valley returns to action on Saturday, when it visits Elizabethtown College at 2 p.m. in another Commonwealth Conference affair.

[Photo - Junior forward Monica Johnson]

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