Jen Clark hit the go-ahead basket with 2:01 remaining as the Crusaders (11-3 overall, 2-1 Commonwealth) improved to 8-0 at home for the first time since 1984-85.
Jess Winemiller led the Eagles (10-4 overall, 1-2 Commonwealth) with a game-high 16 points while Claudia McDowell added 11 points and seven assists, but Juniata shot 35.8 percent (19-for-53) from the field in the game and committed 24 turnovers as a team.
Clark, who shared the team high in scoring at nine points with Samantha Jansson, added a jumper with 1:17 to play that gave Susquehanna a 52-46 advantage.
After two foul shots by McDowell pulled the Eagles within 52-48 with 1:11 left, Williamson added a free throw with just under one minute remaining and Sarah Jane Kalejta sank two foul shots with 18 seconds to go to push the Susquehanna lead to 55-48 and clinch the victory.
Juniata led 28-20 at halftime behind a game-high 12 points from Winemiller, while the Crusaders were paced by five points from Clark . The Eagles shot 41.7 percent (10-for-24) from the field in the opening half while Susquehanna connected on 29.2 percent (7-for-24) of their field-goal attempts in the first 20 minutes.
The Crusaders trailed 34-28 with 13:17 left in the second half, but went on a 12-2 run to take a 40-36 edge with 8:39 to go on two foul shots by Crystal Schneck. The Eagles used three-pointers by Mindy Werner and McDowell and a jumper by Kelly Ashcraft to climb back to a 44-44 tie with 4:44 remaining, and the teams traded baskets just prior to Clark's go-ahead shot.
Off the Crusader bench, Val Houseal and Nikki Smith added eight points apiece as the Susquehanna reserves outscored Juniata's bench by a 28-15 margin.
Juniata finished with a 41-30 edge in rebounding over Susquehanna, with Ashcraft leading all players with 10 boards to go with eight points and Clark pacing the Crusaders with six rebounds.
SUSQUEHANNA 57, JUNIATA 50 JUNIATA (10-4, 1-2 Comm.) Jess Winemiller 6-13 4-4 16; Claudia McDowell 3-10 4-4 11; Mindy Werner 3-6 0-0 8; Kelly Ashcraft 4-9 0-0 8; Courtney Callas 3-7 0-0 7; Gina Piccolini 0-1 0-0 0; Emily Hauser 0-3 0-0 0; Kelly Rotan 0-1 0-0 0; Jill Walsh 0-3 0-0 0; Steph Hatch 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-53 8-8 50. SUSQUEHANNA (11-3, 2-1 Comm.) Samantha Jansson 4-5 0-0 9; Jen Clark 4-10 0-1 9; Val Houseal 3-5 1-2 8; Nikki Smith 3-8 1-1 8; Courtney Thibeault 2-4 2-2 7; Bri McNallen 1-3 2-5 5; Crystal Schneck 1-4 2-4 4; Sarah Jane Kalejta 0-4 4-4 4; Ruth Williamson 1-8 1-2 3; Meg Loughran 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-51 13-21 57. Juniata....................... 28 22 - 50 Susquehanna................... 20 37 - 57 3-point goals-Juniata 4-16 (Mindy Werner 2-4; Courtney Callas 1-2; Claudia McDowell 1-5; Emily Hauser 0-1; Jess Winemiller 0-4), Susquehanna 6-19 (Jen Clark 1-2; Bri McNallen 1-1; Samantha Jansson 1-1; Courtney Thibeault 1-2; Nikki Smith 1-3; Val Houseal 1-3; Ruth Williamson 0-3; Sarah Jane Kalejta 0-2; Crystal Schneck 0-2). Fouled out--Juniata-None, Susquehanna-None. Rebounds-Juniata 41 (Kelly Ashcraft 10), Susquehanna 30 (Jen Clark 6). Assists-Juniata 10 (Claudia McDowell 7), Susquehanna 12 (Crystal Schneck 3; Sarah Jane Kalejta 3). Total fouls-Juniata 17, Susquehanna 14. A-125