ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Emboldened by two second half scoring runs, the University of Rochester claimed a 69-55 women's basketball victory over Case Western Reserve University on Sunday afternoon at the Louis Alexander Palestra.
 
Rochester opened the third quarter with a 17-4 burst, then closed the game with a 17-5 run after Case cut the lead to one point early in the final quarter.
 
The win boosted Rochester's record to 15-9 overall, 7-6 in the University Athletic Association. Case Western Reserve, which defeated Emory University in overtime on Friday, is 3-10 in the UAA, 8-16 overall. Rochester sits in a three-way tie for third place in the UAA standings. Washington, Chicago, and Rochester are all 7-6. Washington and Chicago close the season against each other – in St. Louis next Saturday. Rochester will play at Emory. The Eagles are second in the standings with an 8-5 mark.
 
NYU owns the UAA title this year and the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament. The Violets are 12-1. The loss came at Rochester in late January. CWRU s tied with Brandeis for seventh place in the standings.
 
Julianna Okoniewski led Rochester in scoring with 19 points on 7-15 shooting from the floor, 5-8 at the line. She grabbed 10 rebounds. It was her second consecutive double-double and her fourth this year. She added three steals, two assists, and two blocks. Alexis Sestric scored 15 points and Hannah Lindemuth scored 14. Maura Leverone had nine points, six assists, and three steals. Abby Gress scored seven points and grabbed 12 rebounds.
 
Case had two players in double figures. Kayla Characklis scored 19 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Lucy Vanderbeck scored 13 points and hit three three-point goals.
 
After shooting 36% in the first half (12-33), Rochester made its first five shots from the field to start the third quarter. The 17-point run took eight minutes. Okoniewski had six points, Lindemuth scored five, Sestric  had four, and Haley Dumiak had two. It pushed the UR lead to 48-34 with less than four minutes left in the quarter. The UR touch tailed off slightly and Case closed the quarter with a 10-3 run to get within 51-44. Characklis scored six straight points to open the fourth – two free throws, a spinning layup, and a jumper off the right block. It got the Spartans within 51-50.
 
Lindemuth and Gress ht three-pointers less than a minute apart to ignite the closing 17-5 burst. Lindemuth scored seven of her 14 in the burst. Sestric scored two, as did Leverone. Okoniewski had three points – all at the foul line.
 
Okoniewski was honored in pre-game ceremonies for Senior Day. With one game left in the regular season, she has 945 points, 570 rebounds, 139 blocked shots, and 108 steals.