WASHINGTON, Pa. -- Washington & Jefferson held a decisive advantage on the boards and got contributions from several different players to post a 90-82 win over La Roche in nonconference play.

With the win, the Presidents improve to 4-1 and extend their winning streak to four games after a season-opening loss. The Redhawks suffer their first setback this year, dropping to 2-1.

The Presidents trailed, 44-43, through 20 minutes of play after the two teams combined for 53 points in the first quarter and just 34 in the second. Despite La Roche shooting 51.3 percent (16-of-31) from the field in the first half and making seven three-pointers (7-of-13, 53.8 percent), W&J kept the game close thanks to a 12-point edge on points in the paint (26-14) and 10-point margin on second-chance points (19-9).

The first three buckets of the game were triples as La Roche opened up a 6-0 advantage and Taylor Cortazzo answered back with one to make it 6-3. After the Redhawks got the game to 12-5 1:56 into play, the next six points came on W&J layups courtesy of Beka Bellhy and Danielle Parker (two).

Trailing 21-16 with 3:29 to play in the first quarter, the Presidents rattled off a 7-1 run to take their first lead of the game at the 1:38-mark of the opening period, 23-22, on a layup by Amirah Moore. Another La Roche three-pointer gave a two-point lead back to the guests, while Moore then tied the game at 25-25 with 12 ticks on the clock, but the Redhawks knocked down a three at the buzzer to hold a 28-25 lead after one quarter.

The largest margin for either team in the second quarter was six points, twice by La Roche: a three-pointer 17 seconds into the period (31-25) and a layup at 7:09 (35-29). From that point, W&J scored the next eight points to open up a 37-35 lead with 4:08 left in the first half. Bellhy scored five points during the stretch, including a traditional three-point play to bring W&J within one at 35-34. The two teams were tied or back-and-forth the rest of the quarter with a jumper in the final seconds by La Roche giving the guests a 44-43 lead at halftime.

W&J never trailed in the third quarter after a triple by Danni Medovich put the Presidents ahead, 46-44, with 9:27 to play in the period. Twice the Presidents got the lead to five, but boasted just a one-point lead, 61-60, through 30 minutes.

La Roche scored to begin the fourth and took a 62-61 lead before W&J used an 11-2 run that featured four points from Mya Gordon and another Medovich three-pointer to take a 72-64 lead with just over seven minutes to play. The visitors got the game within two, 74-72, at the 4:58-mark, but the Presidents scored 16 of the final 26 points in the game for the 90-82 victory.

After only converting on 42.9 percent (15-of-35) of its shots in the first half, W&J made 55.6 percent (15-of-27) in the second half for a 48.4 percent during the game. W&J led in points in the paint (46-34), off turnover (23-13), second chance points (29-19) and bench points (18-2), as well as 45-33 on the glass.

Bellhy tied for the game high with 26 points while recording her second double-double of the season and sixth of her career as she also pulled down 12 boards and handed out five assists. Cortazzo was in double digits for the third-straight game at 17 points, adding five rebounds, three assists and three steals. Moore posted 13 points, four assists and three steals. Parker notched eight points and nine boards despite playing just 16 minutes due to foul trouble. Katey Wilson matched her career high with nine points and four rebounds in just 10 minutes off the bench.

W&J opens up Presidents' Athletic Conference play on Wednesday, Dec. 2 at 6 p.m. against Grove City.