Box Score

SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Despite holding a one-point lead midway through the first half, the Susquehanna women's basketball team could not stop the University of Scranton on Saturday, falling to the Lady Royals 79-61 in the 2013-14 Landmark Conference opener for both teams.

The Crusaders (2-3, 0-1) jumped out to a 9-8 lead after a layup by freshman Nikki Komara (Shamokin, Pa. / Lourdes Regional) at 16:16 but the contest went back and forth the next few minutes.

A jumper by classmate Anna Bojakowski (Toms River, N.J. / Toms River South) gave SU another one-point advantage (17-16) with 10:34 remaining in the opening period.

Unfortunately for the Crusaders, this was the last time they would hold the lead in the contest as Scranton would go on a 13-3 run and eventually went into intermission with a 43-30 lead. In the first half, the Lady Royals (3-2, 1-0) received 21 points off the bench.

SU trimmed the deficit to seven points (43-36) to begin the second half after a Komara layup at 18:30 but that marked the closest that the Crusaders would get as Scranton would coast to the 79-61 league win.

Senior Mariah Monahan (Towanda, Pa. / Towanda Area) led all scorers with 21 points—15 in the first half—as she shot 6-for-13 from the field and 6-of-6 at the charity stripe. The guard also grabbed five rebounds and dished out four assists in the defeat.

Komara recorded her first career double-double with 14 points (6-of-10) and 11 boards. Jonaida Williams (Williamsport, Pa. / Loyalsock Twp.) also ended in double-figures, posting 12 points, three rebounds, three assists and four blocks.

The Lady Royals had a balanced scoring attack with three players in double figures, led by 16 from Meredith Mesaris.

The Crusaders host Virginia Wesleyan on Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 6 p.m.