Box Score
 
WASHINGTON, Pa. (Jan. 18) – Despite scoring its fewest points in over a calendar year, the Waynesburg University women's basketball team remained in a tie for first place in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) by taking down Washington & Jefferson on Wednesday night. After losing 27-straight games to the Presidents prior to last season, the Yellow Jackets picked up their fourth-straight victory over W&J by the final score of 47-43.
 
With the win, Waynesburg (13-3, 8-1) remained tied atop the PAC standings with Saint Vincent and Thomas More. W&J fell to 8-8 overall on the season and 3-6 in conference action. Both teams struggled offensively as Waynesburg shot 26.9 percent from the floor, while the Presidents connected on just 23.9 percent of their tries. The Jackets' knocked down just two-for-18 attempts from three-point range (11 percent), but it was two more makes than W&J managed during a 0-for-14 effort.
 
Things didn't start well for the Jackets as they went into the locker room trailing 20-15. However, Waynesburg grabbed its first lead of the second half thanks to a 10-4 run that moved the visiting team ahead 25-24 with 15:36 showing on the clock. After the Presidents regained a one-point lead (26-25), the Jackets fired back with five points from senior point guard Hannah Hunter that opened up a 30-26 Waynesburg advantage.
 
The two teams battled down the stretch of the PAC battle and found themselves tied at 43-43 with 1:19 left to play. The Waynesburg defense took over from that point, while junior guard Jessi Drayer knocked down the game-deciding jumper in the paint before junior guard Brittany Spencer sealed up the victory with a pair of free throws in the final seconds of play. After trailing at the half, Waynesburg out-scored its opposition 32-23 over the final 20 minutes of competition.
 
Drayer led Waynesburg to victory with a game-high 17 points, while Hunter added 11 points to the winning effort. Along with a flawless nine-for-nine performance at the free throw line, the Jackets' 58-41 advantage in rebounding played a major role in their victory. Junior forward Paige Pearce ripped down a game and personal-high 17 rebounds, while Spencer added 10 boards. Drayer also chipped in eight rebounds, while sophomore forward Elaine Hasek added seven. Pearce was also a force defensively with an impressive seven blocks, which is the highest total by a Jacket in a single game since at least 2002.
 
Waynesburg is back in action on Saturday, Jan. 21, when the Jackets travel to Greenville to face Thiel. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.