TOWSON, Md. – Freshman forward Meredith Mesaris (Fairfax, Va./Fairfax) poured in 25 points and pulled down 12 rebounds and The University of Scranton women's basketball team shook off a pesky Goucher College squad to post a 66-55 victory on Saturday evening.
Junior guard Katherine Torto (Binghamton, N.Y./Seton Catholic Central) added a career-high 18 points and nine rebounds as Scranton overcame a one-point deficit early in the second half to snap a two-game losing streak. The Lady Royals improved to 12-8 overall and 7-2 in the Landmark Conference, good for a second-place tie with Catholic University.
After Scranton led, 29-26, at halftime, the Gophers rallied to take a 32-31 lead with 17:06 to play. The game remained tight until Scranton went on a 13-6 run to take a 53-46 lead on a 3-pointer by senior guard Sidney Jaques (Rosemont, N.J./Hunterdon Central) with 6:38 remaining. Goucher didn't get closer than five the rest of the way.
Jaques and sophomore guard Alison Sweeney (Wall, N.J./St. Rose) both had eight points and junior forward Tayler Pallotta (Dunmore, Pa./Dunmore) had nine rebounds in the victory.
For Mesaris, the double-double was the first of her career and she has now scored 20 or more points in three of her six games with Scranton after transferring from American University earlier this month. The 6-foot-1 Mesaris scored a career high 27 points in a 91-57 win over Susquehanna on Friday, Jan. 20, and also had 22 points in the Lady Royals' 68-63 loss to Catholic on Friday, Jan. 27.
In her six games with the Lady Royals, Mesaris is averaging 16.3 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting 54.3 percent (38-for-70) from the field.
Scranton shot just 33.9 percent (20-for-59) from the field against Goucher, but overcame that percentage by out-rebounding the Gophers, 45-32. Scranton also pulled down 17 offensive rebounds, including seven by Mesaris, which led to 19 second-chance points.
The Lady Royals connected on 19 of 23 free throws, including 10-for-10 by Torto. Goucher made just five of 12 from the line.
With the victory, Scranton sweeps the regular season series against the Gophers, having won, 79-36, on Friday, Jan. 6, in the Long Center. The Lady Royals are now 11-0 all-time against Goucher, including 5-0 on the Gophers' home court.
Goucher was led by senior forward Elizabeth Von Ende (Leawood, Kan./American Hebrew Academy, N.C.), who scored 14 points. Sophomore guard Precious Kollock (Baltimore, Md./Patapsco) added 11 as the Gophers fell to 5-15 overall and 1-8 in the Landmark Conference.
Scranton will be back on its home court next time out when it hosts Juniata on Friday, Feb. 3, at 5:30 p.m. in the Long Center.
Notes: With her two 3-pointers on Saturday, Sweeney now has 45 on the season, the 12th-most in a single season in school history. She now has 77 career 3-pointers, one behind Kristen Hines (1993-97) for 11th-most in school history. … Junior forward Erin Boggan (Danbury, Conn./Danbury) missed her second straight game with a hand injury. … The Lady Royals made all 12 of their second-half free throw attempts.
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