Box Score
WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Dec. 17) – The Waynesburg University women's basketball team played one of its best games of the season when it hosted a talented La Roche team on Monday at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse. Unfortunately, the Yellow Jackets put up that effort against maybe the most offensively savvy teams they've played to this point of the year, as the Redhawks staved off a late Jacket rally to pick up an 81-77 win.
Things started well for the home team (3-7), which held a 6-4 lead after the first four minutes of action. Unfortunately, a 13-to-two run by the Hawks (9-1) moved the visiting team ahead 17-8 with 11 minutes left to play. La Roche maintained multi-basket leads for the remainder of the first half and took a 39-30 advantage into the halftime break.
The intermission seemed to do the Yellow Jackets a world of good, as they came out red hot to open up the second period. An 11-2 surge by the home team tied the game up at 41-41 after just over three minutes of the second period had gone by.
After the teams exchanged two-point baskets, La Roche regained control of the contest with a 7-0 run that put the visiting team up 50-43. The Redhawks kept the offensive energy up and built leads as large as 15 points (64-49) with nine minutes left to play. However, as the game progressed, Waynesburg stayed within striking distance and was finally able to make serious progress towards tying the game up.
With 1:20 showing on the game clock, the Hawks led 76-66. Waynesburg outscored its opposition 11-to-four over the next minute to make the score 80-77 La Roche with just 19 seconds left to play. Unfortunately, a late free throw from the Redhawks combined with a missed three-pointer with just seconds left to play sealed the win for the visiting team.
Even though it came in a loss, Waynesburg held a major advantage on the boards, out-rebounding La Roche by a 53-to-27 margin. The Redhawks countered those numbers by forcing 26 turnovers, while coughing the ball up just 13 times on their own end. The Hawks also dished out 22 assists, while the Jackets recorded just nine helpers.
Waynesburg senior guard
Brittany Spencer poured in a game-high 20 points in the loss. Sophomore Hayden Guiliani added 14 points, while senior guard
Jessi Drayer recorded a double-double on 13 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Freshman
Heather Davis came off the bench to chip in nine points on the day.
The Jackets don't return to the court until Saturday, Dec. 29, when they hit the road to face Hood College. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.
