Bloomsburg Falls to Virginia Union in Women's Basketball

BLOOMSBURG—The Bloomsburg University women's basketball team dropped its home opener for the first time in nine years with a 76-50 loss to Virginia Union on Thursday night.

Both teams started slowly in the game with the Huskies holding a 7-4 lead at the 15:38 mark after three free throws by Meggi Rothermel (Minersville/Nativity BVM). After the Panthers came back and took a 10-9 lead on a jumper by Andrea Bellamy, the Huskies' Michelle Albanese (Wilmington, DE/St. Mark's) hit a jumper to put Bloomsburg back in front 11-10 with 11:06 to go in the half. That would be the final lead of the game for the Huskies.

Virginia Union rattled off 16 straight points and held the Huskies scoreless for over six minutes as it built a 26-13 lead. Gabe Miskinis (Lewistown/Lewistown) finally broke the scoring drought for the Huskies with a bucket with 5:48 to play in the first half.

However, the Panthers would stretch their 11-point lead to 24 at halftime, 44-20, with Shanell Roberts getting 16 first half points.

In the second half, the Huskies fought back and pulled to within 16 points, 55-39, on a three-pointer by Albanese with 12:04 left in the game. But a bucket by LaToya Green and three-pointer from Roberts pushed the lead back to 21 for Virginia Union.

The Huskies did get back to within 16 at 60-44, with 8:03 to play, but the Panthers used an 8-1 run over the next four minutes to put the game away.

Roberts led Virginia Union, now 3-2, with 23 points, while Bellamy added 15 and Pria Stellmacher 14.

Bloomsburg, 2-2, was led by Miskinis with 13 and Tiffany Metzler (Mechanicsburg/Mechanisburg) with 12.

The Huskies travel to face Clarion on Saturday starting at 1 p.m.