BEAVER FALLS, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson College women's basketball team used a 26-point second quarter to build a double-digit lead and held off a second half push by Geneva as the Presidents topped the Golden Tornadoes 80-65 on the road on Wednesday evening.
 
Geneva connected on three three-pointers in the game's first four minutes as the Golden Tornadoes built a 13-4 advantage.
 
An Alie Seto (Allison, Pa./Brownsville) layup, a three-point play from Maria Lawhorne (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) and a jumper from Hannah Johnston (East Freedom, Pa./Central) reduced the Geneva lead to 13-11 in just 61 seconds of game time.
 
Geneva pushed its advantage up to 18-14 with three minutes to play in the quarter, but the Presidents closed the quarter with a 6-0 spurt. Piper Morningstar (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) and Johnston made four-straight free throws to tie the game at 18, and Lauren Gilbert's(Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) jumper with 41 seconds left in the quarter gave the Presidents a 20-18 advantage heading into the second quarter.
 
Geneva's Meghan Hirneisen's three early in the second quarter handed the hosts a 21-20 lead, however it was the final lead the Golden Tornadoes would enjoy in the contest. The Presidents reeled off eight-straight points on a pair of baskets by Lawhorne, a Gilbert jumper and a Seto lay-in.
 
The Presidents led 34-27 with three minutes left in the first half when Gilbert and company took over. W&J scored 13-consecutive points in less than a two-minute span to push the President advantage to 46-27 with a minute left in the quarter. Gilbert accounted for nine of the 13 points during the run with a layup, jumper, three and two free throws.
 
Geneva scored five points in the final minute of the quarter to close the gap to 46-32 Presidents at the half.
 
The second half began much like the first, with Geneva taking control in first four minutes. Geneva's Emily Melnek connected on two threes as the Golden Tornadoes scored the first 11 points of the second half to trim the President advantage to 46-43.
 
From there, the teams traded baskets and free throws, until the Presidents got back-to-back baskets on a jumper from Gilbert and a three from Catherine Martin (Blairsville, Pa./Blairsville) to extend a four-point edge to a 55-46 advantage with three minutes left in the third quarter. The Red and Black pushed its advantage to double-digits before another Melnek three to close the quarter with W&J leading 58-50.
 
Megan Williams (Bay Village, Ohio/Lake Ridge Academy) began the fourth quarter with a jumper to put the Presidents ahead by 10. Following a Geneva free throw, W&J scored the next 10 points with six from Seto to lead 70-51 with 5:03 remaining.
 
Melnek made two more threes for Geneva in the final three minutes of regulation, but Geneva was not able to get back within 10 the rest of the way.
 
Gilbert led the Presidents with 23 points, five rebounds and five assists. Lawhorne added 16 points, nine rebounds, three steals and a pair of assists.
 
Seto logged her fourth double-double of the season with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
 
W&J owned a 50-33 rebounding advantage and shot 22-of-28 (76.8 percent) from the free throw line. As a team, the Presidents collected 17 steals, the second-most for the Red and Black all season.
 
Geneva connected on 10-of-32 (31.3 percent) three-point attempts while W&J shot four-of-28 (14.3 percent). The Presidents owned a 26-10 advantage in second chance points.
 
W&J (11-7, 6-4 PAC) heads to Chatham on Saturday for a 6:00 p.m. start. The Presidents downed the Cougars 76-67 at the Salvitti Family Gymnasium on Dec. 18.