The Lancaster Bible College Women's Basketball team played their final home game of the 2024 year on Saturday afternoon, losing to Eastern Mennonite 62-53. The Chargers fall to 5-6 overall and 2-2 in the United East, while the Royals improve to 7-4 overall and 0-3 in the ODAC.

How it Happened:
Eastern Mennonite raced to a 6-0 lead before fifth year Jenna Dombach hit a jumper for the Chargers' first points, then EMU extended the lead to 10-2 almost five minutes in. Sophomore Natalie Wenger finished a three-point play on a layup, then junior Keilani Araniva made a layup on an assist from Dombach to cut the lead to four. After a Royals bucket, the Chargers finished the quarter on a 6-0 run, ending on a layup from Araniva to lead 16-15 after one period.

The run continued for the Chargers as it capped at 13 straight points with a 23-15 lead four minutes into quarter two. The Royals battled back to take the lead by one with two minutes left, then sophomore Isabella Eufemia scored at the end of the period to help LBC maintain a one-point lead at 27-26 at halftime.

The third quarter was all Royals as they outscored the Chargers 22-11 and held LBC to 25-percent shooting. Dombach scored five straight in the middle of the half with a 3-pointer and a driving layup, but EMU led 48-38 after three quarters.

The Royals led by as many as 17 in the fourth quarter as the Chargers struggled to string points together to mount a comeback. Wenger and senior Serene Calderon scored in the final minutes to trim the deficit, but the rally fell short as the Chargers fell by nine in their final home game of the semester.

By the Numbers:
- The Chargers shot 34-percent from the floor, 14-percent from 3-point range, and 53-percent from the free throw line
- The Royals shot 37-percent from the floor, 21-percent from three, and 54-percent on free throws
- Serene Calderon finished with a team-high 13 points for the Chargers
- Natalie Wenger scored 12 points and added nine rebounds, tying a career-high
- Jenna Dombach reached double-figures with 11 points and six assists
- The Royals were led by Jayla Gray with a double-double of 16 points and 15 rebounds

Information to Know:
The Chargers are now 1-4 all-time against Eastern Mennonite, getting their first win over the Royals back in December of 2022 on the road. Jenna Dombach moved into eighth place all-time for the Chargers in total assists with 241, dishing six assists today and passing Katy Stover ('16).

Up Next:
The Chargers will be off for the Christmas season before returning to close out 2024 with a road matchup with Centenary (N.J.) on Monday, December 30 at 1:00 p.m.