Box Score

ANNVILLE, Pa. – No. 3-ranked Messiah College opened the game on a 17-4 run and never looked back, as the Falcons defeated Lebanon Valley 67-31 in Commonwealth Conference women’s basketball action Saturday afternoon at the LVC Gymnasium.

Nikki Lobach scored a game-high 19 points for Messiah (18-1, 8-0 CC), which won its 16th game in a row and remained undefeated in conference play.

The Falcons held LVC to 25.0% shooting in the first half, when it outscored the Valley 33-14.

Junior guard Donna Geiger paced Lebanon Valley (6-11, 3-5 CC) with 11 points, tying her season-high, while senior forward Monica Johnson posted six points and eight rebounds.

Sarah Ringer added 14 points for Messiah while Gwen Avery led all players with 11 rebounds.

Lebanon Valley used a 5-0 spurt late in the first half to pull to within 11 (25-14) following a 3-pointer from sophomore guard Amie Bickert, but the Falcons scored the final eight points of the half.

Messiah continued its run at the start of the second period, scoring the first six points of the stanza to assume a 25-point lead (39-14) with 17:47 on the clock. A Johnson lay-up with 14:46 left made it 39-18, but the Falcons gradually built upon their lead after that.

Lebanon Valley returns to Commonwealth Conference action on Tuesday, when it visits Widener University at 7 p.m.

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