WASHINGTON, Pa. – Adalynn Cherry (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area) and Katie Kovalchick (Shelocta, Pa./Indiana Area) both registered career highs in points to help the Washington & Jefferson College women's basketball team to a commanding 84-61 win over visiting Chatham University Saturday afternoon at Salvitti Family Gymnasium.

The win pushes W&J into sole possession of first place in the Presidents' Athletic Conference at 11-1. The Presidents are now 15-2 overall this season. The loss drops Chatham to 11-2 in the conference and 15-3 overall. The loss snapped the Cougars' school record 14-game winning streak. The two teams split the regular season series, as the Cougars won on their home court on Nov. 18.

Cherry finished with a career-high 20 points. The junior guard drained 7-of-11 field goal attempts including converting 4-of-7 attempts from distance. Cherry added six rebounds, five assists and three steals. Kovalchick continued her strong play as of late. The freshman scored a collegiate-high 19 points to go along with six rebounds and three assists.

In a highly anticipated matchup of the top two teams in the Presidents' Athletic Conference standings, it was all Presidents from the opening tip in Saturday's showdown. W&J led 27-5 after the first quarter before building a 51-18 lead at halftime. The Red and Black shot 53.6 percent (30-of-56) from the field. W&J also dominated on the interior, as the hosts rolled up a 58-28 advantage in rebounding.

W&J used a dominant opening 10 minutes to build a 27-5 lead after the first quarter of play.  After Chatham scored on the opening possession of the game, the Presidents ripped off 16-straight points over the next five-plus minutes. Sarah Berardelli (Ambridge, Pa./North Catholic) scored the first six points for the Presidents. Cherry hit a pair of three-pointers during the sizable run. The Cougars split a pair of free throws to end the run at the 3:53 mark. The Presidents tacked on eight more points to extend the lead to 24-3.

Following a Chatham field goal at the 1:19 mark, Hannah Archer (Lowell, Ohio/Fort Frye) buried a late triple to extend the lead to 22 after the first 10 minutes.

The Presidents put together an even better shooting effort in the second quarter. W&J converted at a 62.5 percent clip in that frame. Kovalchick and Jaden Wan (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock) combined to score the first 10 W&J points in the quarter. A three by Kovalchick swelled the lead to 33-8 at the 8:41 mark. A few minutes later, back-to-back field goals by Kovalchick pushed the W&J advantage to 43-11. W&J led by at least 30 points for the remainder of the half, as jumpers by Berardelli and Cherry late in the second gave W&J a 51-18 lead at the break.

W&J took its biggest lead of the game, 38 points, when Bryn Bezjak (Uniontown, Pa./Albert Gallatin) made back-to-back field goals to put the score at 59-21. Chatham put together a 21-3 run over the final 5:20 of the quarter to trim the W&J lead to 62-42 entering the fourth. Chatham made five-of-11 three-point attempts in the third.

A three-point play by Kovalchick midway through the fourth quarter pushed the W&J lead to 77-50 with 5:29 to play. It was smooth sailing from there as W&J picked up the important conference win.  

In addition to the efforts of Cherry and Kovalchick, Berardelli registered a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds in the winning effort. Meghan Dryburgh (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds and added four assists. Wan finished with nine points and Stellanie Loutsion (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) added eight points, six rebounds and three assists off the bench.

Chatham, who leads the PAC in scoring at 75.5 points per game, was held to 61 points. The Cougars made 10-of-40 three-point attempts (25 percent). The 28 rebounds by the Cougars were their second fewest in a game this season. Aurielle Brunner and Hannah Chenault finished with 14 points apiece to pace the Cougars' efforts. 

W&J returns to action when they host Waynesburg University for a conference contest on Wednesday, Jan. 24. Start time is scheduled for 6 p.m. inside Salvitti Family Gymnasium.