WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Jan. 14) – The Waynesburg University women's basketball team hosted Allegheny for a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) game on Saturday at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse. Though the Yellow Jackets fell short by the final score of 50-41, Waynesburg had the Gators on the ropes before a late run ultimately decided the day's final outcome.
 
Allegheny (7-8, 7-4) opened the game on an 11-2 run, but the Jackets (2-14, 2-9) bounced back with an 8-2 surge of their own. Junior Avery Robinson (Ravenna, Ohio / Ravenna), freshman Alli Bailey (Mount Pleasant, Pa. / Mount Pleasant) and junior Marley Wolf (Ellwood City, Pa. / Riverside) all scored to pull the home team to within three points of tying the score.
 
Allegheny posted the final six points of the opening period to take an 18-11 edge into the second quarter.
 
Defense was the name of the period as the two squads combined for just 24 points. Robinson tallied back-to-back field goals to open the quarter, before a three pointer by freshman Aubrey Burns (Kittaning, Pa. / Armstrong) tied the score 18-18.
 
The two conference rivals traded field goals on the next four possession, before a three pointer by senior Anika Dansby (Massilon, Ohio / Washington) gave the Orange and Black its first lead of the game at 23-22. After the two teams again traded baskets, the Jackets still led by a point. The Gators ended the half with four-straight points to take a 28-25 advantage into halftime.
 
Waynesburg battled back over the first eight minutes of the third quarter to tie the score at 34-34. A Dansby layup knotted things back up. Allegheny regained the advantage with a pair of free throws that made the tally 36-34 heading into the fourth.
 
After 30 competitive minutes, the game was ultimately decided over the first 5:42 of the final quarter, which saw the Gators use a 14-2 run that gave them a 50-36 lead. Waynesburg scored the final five points of the game, but just couldn't produce enough offense to complete the late comeback try.
 
Dansby and Robinson tied for the team scoring lead with 11 points each. Dansby also swiped a game-high three steals.
 
Waynesburg is back in action on Wednesday, Jan. 18, when it travels to Thiel for another PAC contest. Tipoff with the Tomcats is scheduled for 6 p.m.