ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Elizabethtown Edges Susquehanna 49-47 in Conference Opener; Blue Jays Three Wins Away from 900 Mark

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. --- Buoyed by a 27-for-32 (84.4%) performance from the free throw line, a 12-5 advantage in steals and 20 offensive rebounds, Elizabethtown College was able to defeat Susquehanna University 49-47 in its Commonwealth Conference opener despite shooting just 20.8% (11-for-53) from the field. The win improves Elizabethtown to 4-1 overall for the first time since the 2000-01 season and 1-0 in the conference. The victory was also the 897th all-time for Elizabethtown, putting the Blue Jays three wins away from becoming the first NCAA Division III women’s basketball program ever to reach the 900 victory plateau. Susquehanna dropped to 3-1 overall and 0-1 in the conference with the loss.

Elizabethtown shot just 6-for-32 (18.8%) from the field in the first half but managed to take an 18-17 lead into the locker rooms at halftime. The Blue Jays made 10 of their 12 steals in the first half and went 6-for-8 (75%) from the free throw line. In the second half, Etown shot 5-for-21 (23.8%) from the field and 21-for-24 (87.5%) from the free throw line. The Blue Jays also went 0-for-9 from three-point range for the game. Helping the Blue Jays’ efforts was their pronounced advantage in rebounding, 48-35 overall and 20-10 in offensive rebounds. Also, Elizabethtown committed just 10 fouls against 21 for Susquehanna, the result being that Susquehanna went just 2-for-5 (40%) from the free throw line for the game. The visiting Crusaders also shot 20-for-56 (35.7%) from the field and 5-for-19 (26.3%) from three-point range.

After trailing for most of the game, Susquehanna took a 44-40 lead with 1:43 left when Nikki Smith (Coal Township, PA/Shamokin Area) hit an off-balance, off-the-backboard jumper for the Crusaders as the shot clock expired. With 1:15 left, Elizabethtown’s Erin Walton (Columbus, NJ/Northern Burlington Co.) was fouled an hit both of her free throws to cut the lead to 44-42. A Walton layup with 45 seconds left tied the score at 44-44, and she was fouled on the play and made her free throw to give Etown a 45-44 lead. Etown took a 46-44 lead with 28 seconds left when Amanda Reid (Nazareth, PA/Nazareth Area) made one of her two free throws. Walton made another two free throws with eight seconds left to give Etown a 48-44 edge. Susquehanna’s Val Houseal (Harleysville, PA/Souderton) made a three-pointer with four seconds left to cut the gap to 48-47, and a Megan Romano (Jenkintown, PA/Jenkintown) free throw with two seconds left for Etown put the game out of reach, 49-47.

Walton led Elizabethtown in scoring with 22 points, and she shot 16-for-16 from the free throw line and grabbed six rebounds. She has not missed a free throw since November 18, the second game of the season, and is now 44-for-47 from the charity stripe for the season. In the last three games, Walton has hit all 31 of her free throw attempts. Audrey Hitz (Lebanon, PA/Annville-Cleona) led the Blue Jays in rebounds with 14, eight of which were offensive, and she scored 14 points. It was her second double-double of the season. Reid pulled down ten rebounds for Etown, three of which were offensive, and scored three points. Romano totaled seven points for Etown, and she led the Blue Jays in assists with two and in steals with four.

Jen Clark (Elysburg, PA/Southern Columbia) led Susquehanna in scoring with 10 points and in rebounds with 10. Houseal added nine points and four rebounds for the Crusaders.

Elizabethtown will return to action on the road against Commonwealth Conference rival Lebanon Valley College Saturday, December 2 at 1:00 p.m.

At Elizabethtown, Pa. - Thompson Gymnasium
ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE 49, SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY 47
SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY (3-1, 0-1 Comm.)
Jen Clark 4-10 0-2 10; Val Houseal 4-7 0-0 9; Nikki Smith 3-9 0-0 7; Samantha Jansson 3-5 0-0 6; Leigh Henderson 2-4 0-0 5; Courtney Thibeault 2-4 0-1 4; Sarah Jane Kalejta 1-8 2-2 4; Bri McNallen 1-6 0-0 2; Meg Loughran 0-1 0-0 0; Ruth Williamson 0-1 0-0 0; Crystal Schneck 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 20-56 2-5 47.
ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE (4-1, 1-0 Comm.)
Erin Walton 3-14 16-16 22; Audrey Hitz 5-13 4-6 14; Megan Romano 2-6 3-4 7; Amanda Reid 1-6 1-2 3; Mell Fitzpatrick 0-2 2-2 2; Jenn Montague 0-3 1-2 1; Ali Jury 0-1 0-0 0; Ashley Toczylowski 0-2 0-0 0; Megan Quinn 0-5 0-0 0; Courtney Kofeldt 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 11-53 27-32 49.
Susquehanna University ........ 17 30 - 47
Elizabethtown College ......... 18 31 - 49
3-point goals--Susquehanna University 5-19 (Jen Clark 2-4; Val Houseal 1-2; Nikki Smith 1-5; Leigh Henderson 1-1; Meg Loughran 0-1; Sarah Jane Kalejta 0-5; Samantha Jansson 0-1), Elizabethtown College 0-9 (Erin Walton 0-1; Megan Romano 0-2; Amanda Reid 0-1; Mell Fitzpatrick 0-2; Megan Quinn 0-2; Courtney Kofeldt 0-1). Fouled out-- Susquehanna University-None, Elizabethtown College-None. Rebounds-- Susquehanna University 35 (Jen Clark 7), Elizabethtown College 48 (Audrey Hitz 14). Assists— Susquehanna University 12 (Sarah Jane Kalejta 4), Elizabethtown College 6 (Megan Romano 2). Total fouls--Susquehanna University 21, Elizabethtown College 10. Technical fouls-- Susquehanna University-None, Elizabethtown College-None. A-100