STEUBENVILLE, Ohio -- A 31-point first quarter helped power the Washington & Jefferson College women's basketball team to a 78-52 victory over Franciscan University on Saturday evening.
The win improved W&J to 5-0 on the season. Each of the five victories has been by double digits, as the Presidents have won by an average of 28.8 points per game.
Alie Seto (Allison, Pa./Brownsville) finished with a game-high 19 points. Maria Lawhorne (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) posted her first double-double of the season, as the senior tallied 17 points and 12 rebounds. Lauren Gilbert (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) filled the stat sheet with 11 points, five rebounds and five assists.
W&J continued to share the ball well offensively, as they assisted on 21 of 30 made field goals. The 31 first quarter points was the most in any quarter for W&J this season. The Red and Black led 31-16 after the first and held a 48-27 advantage at halftime.
As they often have done, the Presidents dominated in the paint. W&J outscored Franciscan by a 50-16 margin in points in the paint. The Presidents out-rebounded the Barons by a sizable 54-26 margin.
Offensively, W&J converted at a 45.5 percent clip (30-of-66) from the field. Franciscan made just 28.8 percent of its field goal attempts, as the hosts made just 15-of-52 attempts.
Piper Morningstar (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) finished with eight points, four assists and four rebounds. Victoria Koeck (Sidman, Pa./Forest Hills) tallied seven points and four assists off of the bench for W&J.
W&J travels to Chatham University on Wednesday, Feb. 24 for a 7 p.m. tip off.