WASHINGTON, Pa. -- Despite rallying back from a 20-point third quarter deficit to cut its deficit to just one pointer midway through the fourth quarter, the Washington & Jefferson women's basketball team fell by a 65-52 score to visiting Marietta College in its 2021-22 season opener Saturday evening in a non-conference game at Salvitti Family Gymnasium.

Senior guard Piper Morningstar (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) led W&J with a team-high 14 points. Freshman guard Adalynn Cherry (Altoona, Pa./Altoona) put together a strong collegiate debut with 13 points, six rebounds, four assists and no turnovers in 25 minutes off of the bench. Freshman forward Meghan Dryburgh (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) contributed six points, six rebounds and four steals for the Presidents. Freshman Bryn Bezjak (Uniontown, Pa./Albert Gallatin) chipped in eight points off the bench. 

Marietta built an early lead and led by a 20-9 score after the first quarter. The Presidents used a 10-4 run, capped by a layup by Dryburgh in the paint, to pull within five points (24-19) at the 6:02 mark. That is when W&J went cold offensively, as the Red and Black were held scoreless for the next 10+ minutes. Marietta scored the half's final eight points to carry a 32-19 lead into halftime. 

The Pioneers scored the initial seven points of the third quarter to take its largest lead of the game. A layup by Hannah Schill pushed Marietta in front by 20 (39-19) with 8:15 to play in the third quarter. Eight consecutive points, including back-to-back triples by Cherry pulled W&J within 12 points (39-27) at the 4:12 mark of the third.

A triple by Morningstar cut the Marietta lead back into single digits at 41-32 with 1:18 to play in the third. The Pioneers tallied four consecutive points to take a 45-32 edge into the fourth. The Presidents used a 16-4 run over the first five-plus minutes of the fourth quarter to pull within a single-point at 49-48 when Bezjak drained a three-pointer with 4:29 to play. The freshmen guard combination of Bezjak and Cherry combined to account for 10 points during the run by the Presidents. However, Marietta put the game away with a 14-0 run to finish off its double-digit victory.

Marietta held decisive advantages in points off turnovers (20-4) and points in the paint (38-24). W&J returns to Salvitti Family Gymnasium on Nov. 19-20 to host the Springhill Suites Women's Basketball Tip-Off Tournament. The Presidents host Denison on November 19 with tip-off slated for 8 p.m.