Box Score

GREENVILLE, Pa. (Jan. 15) – The Waynesburg University women's basketball team maintained its hold on third place in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) standings with a 72-63 win at Thiel College on Wednesday night. It was the Yellow Jackets' fourth-straight win over the Tomcats.
 
Things started quickly between the conference rivals, as Thiel (3-10, 2-5) took a 5-2 lead after less than a minute had ticked off the first-half clock. Waynesburg (7-7, 5-2) went on an 11-to-four run that gave the visitors a 13-9 advantage after four minutes of action. Thiel grabbed the lead back a minute later after scoring the next five points to go ahead 14-13.
 
The Jackets took control of the game by scoring nine unanswered points that established a 22-14 lead for the Orange and Black with 10:30 left to play in the first half. Waynesburg eventually grew its advantage to as many as nine points (30-21) with just under six minutes remaining until halftime, before settling into a 34-31 advantage at the break.
 
Thiel controlled the majority of the second half and led 56-52 with 8:09 remaining in regulation. However, a three-pointer by sophomore guard Lauren Blair followed by a successful jumper from junior Hayden Giuliani gave Waynesburg the lead back at 57-56 less than a minute later.
 
Those back-to-back field goals composed the first half of a 10-0 Jacket surge that put the visitors up 62-:56 with just over four minutes remaining in the contest. Waynesburg never trailed as the game wound down to its conclusion, and a 6-0 spurt allowed the victors to put together a 72-61 advantage with 38 seconds showing on the clock.  
 
The Jackets were led by Giuliani, who continues to be one of the top three-point shooters in all of Division III, by nailing five-of-seven tries from long range, as part of a game-high 21-point performance. Freshman forward Courtney Sargent made her collegiate starting debut a successful one by putting up 15 points, pulling down seven rebounds and dishing out three assists in just 21 minutes of action before fouling out of the game.
 
Freshman guard Katie Gehlmann contributed 13 points off the bench, while senior Elaine Hasek pulled down a team-high nine rebounds. Waynesburg's defensive efforts produced 18 forced turnovers, while the Jackets themselves turned the ball over on just 10 occasions. The Jackets also held a slim 43-to-39 edge in rebounding.
 
Waynesburg returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 18, when Chatham comes to the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse. Tipoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.