CHESTER, Pa. – A 10-point head start and 15-point performances from both freshman Jenn Grove (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg Area) and senior Chelsea Henderson (Yonkers, N.Y./Yonkers) helped lead the Lycoming College women's basketball team to a key 61-54 win over Widener University in MAC Commonwealth action on Saturday, Jan. 2, at the Schwartz Athletic Center.
 
Henderson finished with 15 points, eight rebounds and five steals and Grove added a career-high 15 points, seven rebounds and three steals to lead the Warriors (8-4 overall, 3-1 MAC Commonwealth), who shot 36 percent (21-of-58) from the field, but really won the game at the free-throw line, hitting 19-of-23 attempts (83 percent).
 
While holding Widener to 33 percent (19-of-57) from the floor and forcing 25 turnovers, the Warriors knocked the Pride (9-3 overall, 2-1 MAC Commonwealth) from a first-place tie in the league with Albright.
 
Lycoming jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first 3:17 of the game, with senior Olivia Manges (York, Pa./West York) leading the run with four points, hitting a deep jumper to cap it. The Warriors continued to pressure and forced Widener into six turnovers and to shoot just 13 percent (2-for-16) while shooting 40 percent (6-of-15) themselves in the first quarter, building a 16-4 lead by the end of the period.
 
In the second quarter, the Warriors continued to play well, with Grove scoring seven points in the opening three minutes to get Lycoming's lead to 15 points at 23-8. The Pride were unable to get the lead into single digits the rest of the quarter, but an old-fashioned 3-point play as time expired on the half by Brianna Cullen helped Widener cut the deficit to 11 at 31-20.
 
Widener was able to cut the lead into single figures early in the third quarter before Lycoming scored four straight points, with junior Nicole Calella (Sandyston, N.J./Kittatinny Regional) hitting a layup to make it 35-22 with 8:13 left. However, Widener got a couple quick buckets and a hard landing sent Calella to the bench for a few minutes, helping the Pride finish the quarter on a 15-6 run to make it 41-37 as the fourth quarter began.
 
Lycoming answered, though, by beginning the fourth quarter with six straight points, the last of the points coming off a pair of free throws from Henderson to make it 47-37 before a 3-pointer from Allison Gallagher cut the lead to seven points with 5:43 left. After each team struggled to hit a shot in the next 2:30, a foul sent junior Rachel Miller (Fayetteville, Pa./Fayetteville-Manlius) to the line, who hit her first free throw before junior Shelby Mueller (Collegeville, Pa./Spring-Ford) got the rebound and hit a layup to restore the 10-point lead with 3:11 left.
 
Widener got a pair of free throws from Ally Ferrucci and a layup from Allison Gallagher to cut the lead to six with 2:40 left, but Widener missed its next four shots from the floor while Lycoming used free throws to expand the lead to nine points at 54-45 before Ferrucci hit a 3-pointer to make it 54-48 with 35 seconds left.
 
The Warriors were forced to call an extra timeout before getting the ball in, but an outlet pass to Henderson made it an eight-point game before Jessica Venturelli was able to hit  a 3-pointer to make it a five-point game. Lycoming responded with three free throws, but Widener again hit a 3-pointer from Gallagher before Mueller finished the scoring off with two free throws to close off the crazy fourth quarter.
 
Mueller finished with 11 points, hitting a huge 7-of-8 at the free throw line, to go with a career-high four steams and Calella added nine points, five rebounds and three assists for the Warriors.
 
Ferrucci led the Pride with 14 points, eight assists and four steals and Allison Gallagher added 10 points and five rebounds. Tasjah Davis scored nine points and Brianna Wylie, Widener's top scorer and rebounder, finished with seven points and nine rebounds, but fouled out with three minutes remaining.
 
The Warriors get back on the court with another MAC Commonwealth doubleheader at Messiah College on Wednesday, Jan. 6. The women tip at 6 p.m. before the men play at 8 p.m.