GROVE CITY, Pa. (Jan. 3) – The Waynesburg University women's basketball team tipped off the 2023 calendar year with a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) road trip to Grove City on Tuesday. The Yellow Jackets got off to a great start and were tied with the heavily favored Wolverines at halftime. Unfortunately, the game took a significant turn in quarters three and four and Grove City ran away with a 70-43 win.
 
The Jackets' (1-11, 1-6) night was highlighted by a 9-0 run in the first quarter that turned a 4-4 tie into a 13-4 lead. Junior Avery Robinson (Ravenna, Ohio / Ravenna) sandwiched a pair of field goals around a two pointer from classmate Marley Wolf (Ellwood City, Pa. / Riverside) to build a 10-4 edge. Freshman Clara-Paige Miller (Waynesburg, Pa. / Waynesburg Central) finished the surge with a three pointer with 3:46 remaining in the opening period.
 
A pair of Wolf free throws expanded the Jacket advantage to a game-high 11 with just under two minutes remaining until the first break of the night. Grove City (5-6, 5-1) answered with two foul shots of its own to make the score 19-10 after 10 minutes of play.
 
The host team slowly chipped away at the Orange and Black lead, and after 18:55 of play, the Wolverines pulled ahead for the first time at 27-26. A Robinson field goal with 33 seconds showing on the second quarter clock put the Jackets back up 28-27, but Grove City knocked down a free throw just before halftime to tie the score at 28-28.
 
Unfortunately for the visitors, the Wolverines took firm control of the contest with a 14-0 run that spanned the first 5:30 of the third quarter. Grove City eventually took a 50-35 advantage into the fourth quarter and went on to claim victory from there.
 
Waynesburg was led by Robinson, who tallied a game-high 14 points. Freshmen Emma Seto (Allison, Pa. / Brownsville) and Tori Wesolowski (Canonsburg, Pa. / Canon-McMillan) tied for the contest lead with nine total rebounds each. Seto yanked down seven offensive boards, while Wesolowski had a big night defensively with four blocks.
 
The Jackets return home to the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse on Thursday, Jan. 5, when they host Franciscan for another conference battle. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.