GLENSIDE, Pa., Thursday, Feb. 9, 2011-- The Albright College Lions outscored the Arcadia University Knights by six points in each half and won tonight's Commonwealth Conference women's basketball game 61-49 to pick up their third league win of the season. Arcadia provided a valiant fight but allowed their one-time eight point lead with 12:18 to play in the first, provided by three of junior Christine Taylor's 14 first half points, the Knights fell behind by six at the half (30-24). Even though the Knights cut their deficit to three (40-37), six minutes into the second half, Albright found success in the paint, holding a double-digit lead for the final six minutes of action. Taylor went 3-5 from downtown in the first half and led all scorer's with 18 and added four rebounds.
Sophomore point Angie Adams dished out one of her game-high seven assists on the opening play of the game, a three from Taylor before dialing up for three of her own at 16:23 to help the Knights jump out to a 10-5 lead. Taylor then added five of Arcadia's next seven, including her second trey of the contest at 12:18 which provided the Knights largest lead of the game at eight (17-9). But a couple of key turnovers from the Knights and an 8-0 run for Albright allowed the Lions to tie it up at 17 with 7:09 to play in the half. Taking momentum right back was Arcadia when Adams pulled up deep from the left side and dropped her second three of the night, but it was still a one-possession game, 20-17 in Arcadia's favor with 5:01 to go. The teams traded buckets, which for the Knights included another Taylor three pointer, but the Lions hit three straight deuces to tie the game at 23 with 3:10 before the half. Albright gained their first lead of the game on two of Jenny Knoebel's 11 points at 2:46. Knoebel followed up with a three pointer at 1:35 and that quickly, Albright took a six-point lead into halftime.
Taylor added her final four points of the game in the opening minutes of the second along with a pair of free throws from sophomore Jackie Law, making it a one-possession game, 36-33 Albright with 16:16 to play. The teams again traded two baskets apiece, both of Arcadia's from senior Corrine Geiger off the glass as the spread remained three in favor of the Lions 38-35 at the 14:40 mark. Arcadia would get no closer as Albright used an 11-4 run to take a double-digit lead with 7:30 to go and held it for the remainder to improve to 7-14 overall and 3-8 in the Commonwealth. Arcadia falls to 7-15 overall and 1-10 in the league.
For the Taylor-led Knights, Law rang in with her eighth double-double of the year off 11 points and 12 rebounds. She added four assists, blocked a shot and made two steals. Geiger scored nine, took care of eight rebounds and blocked two shots in 37 minutes played. Adams added seven points to her seven helpers, two steals and five boards. First-year Krista Hsu scored four, fought for five rebounds, dished out three assists and made two steals.
Albright saw three players land in double-digit scoring fueled by Marilynn McMonagle's 16 points and 9 rebounds. Meghan Boyle earned the game's other double-double off of 12 points and 14 boards while Knoebel finished with 11 points and six caroms. Rose Williamson also added eight points and eight rebounds for the Lions.
Arcadia plays at Messiah College Feb. 12 at 5 p.m. in Commonwealth play. A game at Widener on Feb. 15 closes out their road schedule before the team honors their seniors on Feb. 19 at home against Elizabethtown in the final game of the 2010-11 season.
