SCRANTON, Pa.—Junior guard Taryn Mellody (Dunmore, Pa./Bishop O’Hara) scored a season-high 23 points and junior center Tiffaney Williams (Scranton, Pa./Scranton) added a career-high 11 points and six rebounds to lead The University of Scranton to an 87-50 victory over Renssalear Polytechnic Institute in the semifinals of the Diversified Invitational Friday evening at the Long Center.
Sophomore guard Julie Brophy (Exton, Pa./Downingtown East) came off the bench to add nine points—all in the first-half—as the 10th-ranked Lady Royals, now 7-1, shot 50 percent from the field to build up a 47-25 lead by intermission. RPI, which fell to 3-3, was led by freshman forward Elizabeth Barker (Springfield, Mass./Cathedral) with nine points and a game-high 10 rebounds and sophomore forward Tory Lyons (Feeding Hill, Mass./Agawan) contributed nine points.
Mellody connected on 5 of 8 shots from the field and finished with 12 points in 11 minutes of action in the opening 20 minutes of play. RPI took itself out of the game early with 24 first-half turnovers and finished with 38 for the game. The Lady Royals also made 19 steals.
Scranton will attempt to win its fourth straight Diversified Invitational title tomorrow afternoon against Frostburg State, a 71-54 winner over Hood College in the other semifinal game, beginning at 4:00 p.m. at the Long Center.
RENSSALEAR POLY INSTITUTE (3-3) Tory Lyons 2-6 5-8 9; Elizabeth Barker 4-8 1-3 9; Destany Eagles 2-4 3-4 7; Missy Jackman 1-5 2-2 5; Whitney Coleman 2-9 0-0 4; Rebecca Primm 2-2 0-0 4; Brittany O'Neal 2-3 0-0 4; Kristi Baranowski 1-10 1-2 3; Caitlyn Charest 1-2 0-0 3; Kery Hayes 1-2 0-0 2; Kristen Danbury 0-2 0-0 0; Sarah Briggs 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 18-54 12-19 50. THE UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON (7-1) Taryn Mellody 10-20 2-2 23; Tiffaney Williams 5-8 1-4 11; Julie Brophy 4-7 0-0 9; Michelle Fabio 2-4 3-4 7; Tammy Waiters 3-7 0-0 6; Kelly Lewandowski 2-2 2-2 6; Allison Matt 2-7 0-0 5; Erin Healy 2-3 0-2 4; Kathleen Daly 1-3 2-2 4; Molly Klusek 2-5 0-0 4; Erin Quinn 1-2 1-2 3; Stephanie Remington 1-4 0-2 2; Casey Thran 0-4 2-2 2. Totals 35-76 14-24 87. Renssalear Poly Institute..... 25 25 - 50 The University of Scranton.... 47 40 - 87 3-point goals-Renssalear Poly Institute 2-10 (Missy Jackman 1-3; Caitlyn Charest 1-2; Destany Eagles 0-2; Whitney Coleman 0-2; Kery Hayes 0-1), The University of Scranton 3-15 (Julie Brophy 1-2; Allison Matt 1-3; Taryn Mellody 1-7; Erin Healy 0-1; Stephanie Remington 0-1; Casey Thran 0-1). Fouled out--Renssalear Poly Institute-None, The University of Scranton-None. Rebounds-Renssalear Poly Institute 46 (Elizabeth Barker 10), The University of Scranton 43 (Taryn Mellody 7). Assists-Renssalear Poly Institute 7 (Whitney Coleman 2; Destany Eagles 2), The University of Scranton 23 (Michelle Fabio 5). Total fouls-Renssalear Poly Institute 17, The University of Scranton 16. A-450