SCRANTON, Pa.—Freshman forward Taryn Mellody (Dunmore, Pa./Bishop O’Hara) scored 18 points, including a crucial rebound and layup in the final minute of play, and sophomore forward Kelly Lewandowski (Willow Grove, Pa./Archbishop Wood) came off the bench to add a career-high 17 points and six rebounds as The University of Scranton held off Drew University, 76-68, in Freedom Conference action Saturday afternoon at the Long Center.
The Lady Royals, ranked 5th nationally by D3hoops.com, also received 12 points from junior forward Tara Gemmel (Catasauqua, Pa./Catasauqua) and 10 from senior guard Katie Dougherty (Philadelphia, Pa./Nazareth Academy) to win their seventh straight game and improve to 20-1 overall and 9-1 in the Freedom Conference.
Scranton has now won 20 games for the 13th consecutive season and for the 22nd time in the program’s 28-year history. Drew, which fell to 9-8 overall and 3-6 in the Freedom Conference, was led by freshman guard Melissa Kraft (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph Hill), who came off the bench to score a game-high 19 points on 7 of 11 shooting from the field, and freshman guard Courtney Cunningham (Garden City, N.Y./Our Lady of Mercy Academy) added 16.
Leading by only 1, 34-33, with 1:11 left in the first half, Lewandowski gave the Lady Royals some breathing room by scoring four of her first-half nine points in the 30 seconds of play as Scranton led 38-33 at intermission. Cunningham scored 10 first-half points as the Rangers attacked the Lady Royal pressure and connected on 11 of 20 field goal attempts (55.0 percent).
Scranton jumped out to a 14-point advantage behind a 11-2 run to start the second half to take a 49-35 lead with 15:18 remaining. The Lady Royals maintained a double-digit lead throughout much of the second half before the Rangers continue to scratch their way back into the game. With 1:24 remaining, Kraft, who scored 13 points in the second half, buried a 3-pointer to cut the lead to four, 72-68, before Mellody came up with a key rebound and converted a layup with 48 seconds remaining to put Scranton up by six, 74-68. Two free throws by Lady Royal senior guard Kate Pierangeli (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) with 26 seconds left set the final score.
The Rangers became the first team to shoot better than 50 percent from the field against Scranton this year. Drew knocked down 23 of 45 field goal attempts to finish 51.1 percent for the game but was guilty of 25 turnovers.
Lewandowski, who hit 7 of 8 shots from the field, eclipsed her previous career-high of 13 points in a 77-59 victory over Rowan University in the opening round of the Diversified Invitational at the Long Center on January 2.
Scranton will take on Wilkes University in Freedom Conference action this Wednesday, February 11, beginning at 6:00 p.m. at the Marts Center in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
Drew University vs University of Scranton 2-7-04 1:00 pm at Long Center, Scranton, Pa. At Long Center, Scranton, Pa. THE UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON 76, DREW UNIVERSITY 68 DREW UNIVERSITY (9-8/3-6 Freedom) Melissa Kraft 7-11 2-2 19; Courtney Cunningham 6-9 2-2 16; Sarah Marquez 3-7 3-4 11; Lauren Aliano 3-8 1-1 7; Jennifer Weldon 1-4 4-6 6; Melissa Coover 3-5 0-0 6; Meg Kwiatkowski 0-1 3-4 3. Totals 23-45 15-19 68. THE UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON (20-1/9-1 Freedom) Taryn Mellody 6-13 4-4 18; Kelly Lewandowski 7-8 3-6 17; Tara Gemmel 5-16 2-4 12; Katie Dougherty 4-6 2-4 10; Maura Kane 2-4 3-3 7; Kate Pierangeli 2-10 2-4 7; Allison Matt 1-4 0-0 3; Eileen Webster 1-1 0-0 2; Megan McMurdo 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 28-64 16-25 76. Drew University............... 33 35 - 68 University of Scranton........ 38 38 - 76 3-point goals-Drew University 7-15 (Melissa Kraft 3-5; Sarah Marquez 2-5; Courtney Cunningham 2-4; Lauren Aliano 0-1), University of Scranton 4-18 (Taryn Mellody 2-7; Allison Matt 1-1; Kate Pierangeli 1-5; Katie Dougherty 0-1; Tara Gemmel 0-4). Fouled out--Drew University-None, University of Scranton-None. Rebounds-Drew University 29 (Melissa Coover 5), University of Scranton 34 (Taryn Mellody 6; Kelly Lewandowski 6). Assists-Drew University 14 (Courtney Cunningham 4), University of Scranton 19 (Kate Pierangeli 7). Total fouls-Drew University 20, University of Scranton 15. A-600