ROCHESTER, N.Y. – A 6-0 run in the final minutes was the difference as the Case Western Reserve University women's basketball team fell short at the University of Rochester by a score of 72-68 on Sunday afternoon at the Palestra. Despite the loss, senior point guard Erica Iafelice (North Canton, Ohio/Hoover) set the program career assists record.
The Spartans fall to 15-9 overall and 7-6 in the UAA heading into the season finale next Saturday, February 23. With the win, the Yellowjackets (19-5, 11-2 UAA) remain in a tie for first place in the Association.
Iafelice finished the game with 11 points, six rebounds and six assists. The senior captain surpassed Jeanne Scott's school record of 364 assists with a helper on the opening basket of the game. In 99 career games, Iafelice now has 370 assists.
Two other Spartans scored in double figures as senior guard Evy Iacono (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) tallied a game-high 23 points, seven assists and three steals, while senior center Emily Mueller (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) finished with 13 points and six rebounds.
The entire first half was played tight, but the Spartans led most of the way. Iacono gave the visitors their largest lead of the contest, 15-9, with a three-pointer at the 11:25 mark. Rochester tied the score twice at 21-21 and 23-23 thanks to layups from Loren Wagner, but Case finished on a 10-5 run and led 33-28 as Iafelice hit the final bucket of the half at the 42 second mark.
In the second half, Rochester opened on an 11-4 run and led 39-37 when Katie Weiner hit a free throw with 15:06 left to play. The Spartans quickly regained the advantage on the next possession as Iafelice hit a three at the 14:52 mark, but the Yellowjackets responded with a 7-0 run that culminated in a triple from Paige Aleski with11:49 remaining.
The Spartans refused to go away and after minutes of chipping away regained the lead following a Mueller jumper that took the score to 50-49 with 7:48 left on the clock. Three more lead changes followed before Iafelice tied the game at 57-57 with a three-pointer at 4:34. However, the Yellowjackets moved back ahead for good with a deciding 6-0 run that spanned more than two minutes and made the score 63-57 with an Ally Zywicki jumper at 2:08. Case never got closer than four the rest of the way.
For the game, Rochester out-rebounded the Spartans, 44-26, and attempted 20 free throws compared to just two for Case.
Jackie Walker led the Yellowjackets with 20 points and seven boards.
The Spartans close out the season in six days versus rival Carnegie Mellon University (Pa.) at 3:00 p.m. at Horsburgh Gymnasium in Cleveland. Prior to the game, CWRU will honors its four women's basketball senior student-athletes – Iacono, Iafelice, Mueller and Marissa Miles (McDonald, Pa./Fort Cherry).