WASHINGTON, Pa. -- Ohio Northern gained an early lead and withstood a W&J comeback attempt to record a 50-43 in a low-scoring defensive battle Saturday afternoon as part of the Springhill Suites Tip-off Tournament at Salvitti Family Gymnasium. 

Sophomore guard Bryn Bezjak (Uniontown, Pa. / Albert Gallatin) turned in a game-high 18 points to lead W&J. Bezjak drained three-of-six three-point attempts and added four steals in the setback. 

Adalynn Cherry (Altoona, Pa. / Altoona Area) joined Bezjak in double figures, as the sophomore finished with 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the field. 

Both teams were slow out of the gates offensively but the visiting Polar Bears scored six of the final eight first quarter points to build a 14-8 lead after 10 minutes. ONU kept W&J in check again in the second quarter to carry a 27-15 lead into the halftime break. Ohio Northern used a scrappy effort and took advantage of some good work on the offensive glass to build its double-digit lead. W&J made just six field goal attempts in the first half. 

Bezjak did her best to bring the Presidents back into things with a strong third quarter. Bezjak tallied 13 of her 19 points in the third. Back-to-back triples by Bezjak and Cherry trimmed the deficit to 32-26 at the 4:54 mark. A little later in the frame, Bezjak connected on a jumper in the paint and another triple to close W&J within four points (35-31) with 1:52 remaining in the third. On W&J's last possession of the quarter, it was a three-point play by Bezjak that brought W&J within one. The layup and free throw by the sophomore trimmed the ONU lead to 35-34 after 30 minutes. 

However, the Presidents went cold early in the fourth quarter and the Polar Bears took advantage. ONU tallied the first 11 points of the final quarter to stretch its lead back into double figures. A triple by Brynn Serbin gave ONU a 46-34 lead with 5:26 to play. W&J cut the deficit to five points (48-43) when Bezjak hit a pair of free throws with 50 seconds left. The Presidents would get no closer, however. 

ONU held advantages in second chance points (18-6), points in the paint (26-22) and bench points (15-2). W&J held the advantages in points off of turnovers (21-15). ONU out-rebounded W&J by a 49-32 margin. 

W&J (1-1) hosts La Roche (0-1) on Sunday, Nov. 13 at the Springhill Suites Tip-off Tournament. Tip off is scheduled for 2 p.m.