WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Washington and Jefferson women's basketball team downed visiting Waynesburg University for a 77-51 victory in Presidents' Athletic Conference play at the Salvitti Family Gymnasium Wednesday evening. A well-rounded effort saw 12 different Presidents score during the lopsided victory over the Yellow Jackets.
The win is the seventh-straight for the Presidents, who improve to 16-2 overall and 12-1 in the PAC. Waynesburg drops to 4-14 overall and 3-10 in conference play.
After jumping to an 17-11 lead in the first quarter with good field goals from Meghan Dryburgh (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Baldwin), Sarah Berardelli(Ambridge, Pa. / North Catholic), Adalynn Cherry (Altoona, Pa. / Altoona Area), and Bryn Bezjak (Uniontown, Pa. / Albert Gallatin), the Presidents started the scoring in the second with good three pointers from Jaden Wan (Newtown, Pa. / Council Rock), Hannah Archer (Lowell, Ohio / Fort Frye), and Dryburgh, and good buckets from Berardelli, and Stellanie Loutsion (Canonsburg, Pa. / Canon-McMillan) in the Presidents 13-5 point run in the first five minutes to set the score at 30-16.
A three-point play by Loutsion made it 36-23 at the 3:11 mark of the second quarter. Katie Kovalchick (Shelocta, Pa. / Indiana Area) added two free throws late in the quarter as W&J carried a 38-25 lead into halftime.
W&J stretched the lead early in the third quarter. A three-pointer followed by two free throws by Loutsion stretched the advantage to 47-26 at the 7:05 mark. Later in the quarter, Kovalchick and Archer drained baskets to give W&J a 61-42 lead entering the fourth.
Jacey Mullen (New Springfield, Ohio / Springfield Local), Ally Fisher (New Kensington, Pa. / Burrell), and Brianna Toal (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Moon Area) found the scoresheet in the final quarter. Fisher scored eight points off the bench over the final few minutes.
W&J led in points off of turnovers (18-7), bench points (31-17), points in the paint (34-24) and rebounds (48-36).
Loutsion finished with 15 points to lead the Presidents. Berardelli joined her in double figures with 10 points. Dryburgh tallied seven points, a game-high 12 rebounds and three steals.
The Presidents return to action on Saturday, January 27 at Bethany. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.