Despite late Rally Knights Fall to Albright

Victoria Roukas & Angie Adams combine for 41 of Arcadia's 64 points

Box Score
GLENSIDE, Pa.: With the first half of the league schedule coming to a close this evening in the Commonwealth Conference, a battle of the two winless teams in league play came down to the wire. Host Arcadia University used a gutsy 22-4 run to shave a 19 point deficit with 14:42 to go to just a three point lead for visiting Albright College with 7:46 remaining but would settle for the 71-64 loss.

Arcadia (3-14, 0-7 CC) was led by three players scoring in double figures although much of the Knight's offense can be credited to junior Angie Adams (21 points) and first year Victoria Roukas (20 points) who combined for 64% of the offense. Christine Taylor scored 11 for the Knights. However, Albright (5-13, 1-6 CC) matched that and one, with four players in double-figures including two double-double games from Meghan Boyle (15 points, 10 rebounds) and Jenny Knoebel (11 points, 12 rebounds). Kari Ludy led the Lions with 21 points while Amanda Tiritilli scored 13.

It would be those very players for Albright who would put the game away in the closing 7 minutes after Arcadia dug themselves out of a 19 point deficit with their impressive seven minute 22-4 run.

Albright out-shot Arcadia from everywhere in the first half (48% - 25%) including going 5 for 9 from distance, Tiritilli and Knoebel each with a pair. Just four minutes into the opening tip, the Lions owned a double-digit lead and Arcadia eventually settled for a 13 point deficit by halftime, down 35-22.

Using four from Roukas around a three pointer from Adams, Arcadia was down just 9 (29-38) after the first 1:35 of second half action. But then Knoebel found Tiritilli for another three to spark a 10-3 Albright run. The Lions got two layups from Ludy to finally push their lead back out to 19 at 14:42. But comfortable in that lead, Albright was not. The Knights rolled up their sleeves and went to work and gave the home crowd a thrill with their 22-4 run over the next seven minutes, finding themselves amped up and down just 3 (52-55) with 7:46 to go.

During the run, the team went 7 for 8 at the free throw stripe highlighted by some gutsy plays during the stretch. A steal by sophomore Christie Kershaw inside of the 13 minute mark gave possession back to Arcadia and following an Arcadia missed shot, Kershaw cleaned up the glass and put two in the bank for the Knights. That bucket cut it to 13, 38-53 Lions. Albright went back up by 16 and then the bulk of the run began. Arcadia got 6 from Roukas, a three pointer and 2 assists from first year Micheala Holleran and 4 from Adams, her layup capping the run off.

Unfortunately for Arcadia, first half shooting struggles resurfaced, as they went just 4 for 14 during the final 7:46 to play, while Ludy, Boyle, Knoebel and Tiritilli combined for all 16 of the Lions final points. Albright would retake an 8 point lead with :36 seconds to go, and despite a full steam length of the court run by junior Jackie Law for two off the glass and a four point game (64-68) with :16 seconds remaining, the Lions went 3 for 4 at the line and breathed a sigh of relief as the Knight's final two shots from distance were off the mark and Albright escaped with a 71-64 victory.

A much noted highlight was Arcadia's improvement on ball possession after struggling over the past two games, the Knights gave up just 11 turnovers to Albright's 16. Rebounds were even at 43 apeice where Arcadia controlled the offensive glass (19-11) and Albright the defensive side (32-24).

Adams added 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals to her Arcadia team high while Roukas, who shot 10 for 13, added 9 boards and 2 steals. Arcadia shot 75% at the line (15 of 20) with Taylor hitting 6 of 7 and Adams 7 of 9. Holleran totaled 3 points, 5 rebounds and dished out 4 assists while Law led the team with 12 rebounds and finished with 4 points.

Tiritilli served up 5 assists to go along with 3 steals and 4 boards for the Lions. Ludy added 5 boards and 2 steals while Knoebel blocked 2 shots and dished out 6 assists, a game-high.

While the Lions claim bragging rights to ending the first half of league play with a win, the two teams meet again on Feb. 14 in Reading, Pa for the Lions WBCA Pink-Zone game.

Up next for Arcadia is Elizabethtown College, this Sat., Jan. 28 to open the second half of Commonwealth Conference action. The Knights lost to the Blue Jays 48-68 at home back on Nov. 30. Tip-off for their rematch is scheduled for 2 p.m.

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