Box Score

GRANTHAM, Pa. – Messiah College outscored Lebanon Valley 51-22 in the first half, and the Falcons defeated LVC 88-59 in a Commonwealth Conference women’s basketball game Saturday evening at Brubaker Auditorium.

Five different players reached double figures in scoring for Commonwealth front-runner Messiah (17-2, 7-1 CC), ranked No. 14 in the latest USA Today/ESPN Division III Coaches Poll and No. 10 by D3hoops.com. Eli Cook led the way with 15 points and 12 rebounds while Nicki Lobach and Lauren Schurr had 14 points apiece. Sarah Ringer added 13 points while Amy Reed chipped in with 10.

Lebanon Valley (5-12, 1-7 CC) was paced by junior forward Monica Johnson, who scored 24 points on 12-of-16 shooting. She also pulled down eight rebounds. Junior guard Allie Butler added 15 points on 3-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc to go with six assists for the Valley while freshman forward Megan Bish totaled 11 points.

The Falcons shot a blistering 58.8% in the decisive opening stanza, when it forced 15 of LVC’s 24 turnovers.

Lebanon Valley played Messiah even, 37-37, in the second half, when it shot 57.1%.

Messiah out-rebounded LVC 34-24. The Falcons went to the foul line 12 more times than Lebanon Valley, going 15-for-20 at the charity stripe. LVC was 7-for-8 at the line.

Lebanon Valley returns to action on Tuesday, when it hosts Widener University at 7 p.m. in another Commonwealth Conference affair.

[Photo - Junior forward Monica Johnson]

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