ROCHESTER, N.Y. - A senior and two first-year students put on a dominating performance as the University of Rochester defeated Case Western Reserve University, 72-64, in a women's basketball game at the Louis Alexander Palestra on Monday afternoon.
Between them, the three Rochester women combined for 46 points and 45 rebounds. Senior Lena Ethington scored 14 points and grabbed 17 rebounds. First-year Shannon Loiseau scored 15 points and grabbed 19 rebounds. First-year Julianna Okoniewski scored 17 points and collected nine rebounds.
This game (and the men's game between the same two institutions) was supposed to be played on Sunday. It was delayed one day because of the heavy snow and bitter cold.
Rochester earned its first conference win of the season. The Yellowjackets are 7-9 overall, 1-4 in the University Athletic Association. Case Western Reserve saw an eight-win win streak halted. The Spartans are 12-4 overall, 4-1 in the UAA. Rochester's win knocked CWRU out of a first place tie in the league standing. CWRU is in second place, one game behind Washington-St. Louis (5-0). The Spartans will play their next four games against Washington and the University of Chicago.
UR held a 57-36 advantage on the backboards. The Yellowjackets grabbed 19 offensive rebounds and turned those into 15 second chance points.
Hillary Hellman led CWRU with 26 points including three three-point goals. Kara Hageman and Emma Cain scored 11 apiece. Hellman grabbed 12 rebounds and Hageman had eight plus three blocked shots.
CWRU couldn't find its shooting eye for the first eight minutes. The Spartans missed their first 10 shots from the field and fell behind, 11-0. Hellman's basket started an eight-point run. UR led by five, 13-8, at the first quarter whistle. It was tight through the second quarter. CWRU finally drew even at 20-20 on a Hellman trey with 3:25 to go. UR finished the period on an 11-4 run for a 31-24 lead.
Five points from Hellman and Cain fueled an 11-3 run midway through the third quarter that gave CWRU its first lead, 39-37, with 4:10 left. It was 50-47 in favor of CWRU after three periods.
Rochester nibbled its way in front in the fourth period. Loiseau had four points, Ethington three, and Okoniewski two. Lauren Foley's third three-pointer of the game put Rochester ahead, 59-56, and the Spartans never drew even after that. The lead grew to 67-58 on two buckets by Okoniewski and one by Ethington with 2:56 to play before CWRU stormed back. The Spartans cut it to a one-possession game with 1:16 left. Hellman's steal and layup, one free throw by Kendall McConico, and a three-pointer from right wing by Hellman sliced it to 67-64. CWRU couldn't hit after that and Rochester sealed the victory making five of six at the line – two by Camryn Fagan, one by Ethington, two by Loiseau. Fagan had seven points and a career best nine assists.