PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- Alie Seto (Allison, Pa./Brownsville) registered her third straight double-double performance, finishing with 14 points and a career-high 21 rebounds to guide the Washington & Jefferson women's basketball team to a 66-53 road win over Chatham University Saturday night in a Presidents' Athletic Conference game.
 
Lauren Gilbert (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) recorded a game-high 20 points on an efficient shooting effort against the Cougars. Gilbert made 7-of-9 field goal attempts, which included 4-of-6 makes from behind the three-point line.  
 
The victory gives the Presidents the sweep of the regular season series with Cougars. The win improves W&J to 7-4 in league play and 12-7 overall. The loss drops Chatham to 5-6 in the PAC and 12-7 overall.
 
The Presidents used back-to-back baskets by Seto and Maria Lawhorne (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) to build an early 8-4 advantage with 6:46 remaining in the first quarter. The host Cougars quickly countered with a pair of triples to take a 10-8 edge. Gilbert answered immediately with a three of her own on the following possession and then Lawhorne added a jumper to give the Preisdents a 13-10 lead. 
 
After the Cougars regained the lead on two occasions late in the period, Seto nailed a jumper to put the Presidents in front by a 17-16 score after the first. 
 
Lawhorne opened the second quarter with a baseline jumper but Chatham's countered back with another made three-pointer to even the score at 19. 
 
After the two teams exchanged baskets to put the score at 21-21, the Presidents used an 8-0 run to take their largest lead of the first half. Gilbert and Victoria Koeck (Sidman, Pa./Forest Hills) registered back-to-back layups in front of a wide open three-point field goal by Hannah Johnston (East Freedom, Pa./Central). A split at the free throw line by Lawhorne capped the W&J scoring run. 
 
The Cougars would use another three-point basket to close within three. However, the Presidents used a layup by Piper Morningstar (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) and a pair of free throws by Aleena McDaniel (Morgantown, W.Va./Morgantown) to take a 33-28 advantage into halftime. 
 
W&J scored the final seven points of a low scoring third quarter, which allowed the Red and Black to build a 45-34 advantage heading to the fourth. Gilbert scored eight points in the frame, including the final five markers of the period. The Cougars managed just a pair of field goals in the third, both of which were three-point baskets by Sierra McClain. 
 
The Presidents maintained a double-digit lead for the majority of the fourth quarter. After Chatham opened the quarter with a three on the initial possession, W&J countered back with an 11-2 run to build a 17-point lead. A triple by Maddie Gutierrez (Bridgeville, Pa./South Fayette) made the score 56-39 with 4:51 to play. The Cougars would use a late run to close the deficit to 60-48 with 2:41 left but could get no closer. 
 
Defense played a big role in the victory for the Presidents, as the Red and Black held the Cougars to 53 points, which is well below their season average of 68.3 per game. 
 
W&J was able to slow down the PAC's top two leading scorers, Emily Ondo and Kaitlyn Fertig. The duo combined for 58 points in the previous matchup with the Presidents back on Dec. 18. Ondo (17) and Fertig (9) were able to total 26 points in Saturday's contest. 
 
The Presidents host PAC co-leader Westminster for an important conference game at Salvitti Family Gymnasium on Wednesday, Feb. 5. Start time is scheduled for 6 p.m. In conjunction with the doubleheader against the Titans, W&J will host Washington School District Night.