By Anthony Socrates, Sports Information Intern
 
WASHINGTON, Pa. – The top-seeded Washington & Jefferson women's basketball team lead wire-to-wire in defeating fourth-seeded Marywood, 85-55, in the 2016 ECAC Division III Women's Basketball Championship Semifinal.
 
The Presidents improve to 24-5 on the season, which ties the program's highest win total with the 2008-09 team. The hosts will take on Stevenson, an 83-75 winner over Waynesburg in the other semifinal, in Sunday's title game.
 
W&J's success was largely due to their efficiency from behind the arc, shooting 47.6 percent (10-of-21). In addition, W&J shot 39.4 percent (28-of-71) from the field and tallied 33 points off of turnovers.
 
The Presidents jumped out to a 31-12 lead after the first quarter, thanks to a 21-4 run over 4:42 that included a 7-of-9 showing from the field and 3-for-4 from three-point range.
 
Both teams were equal at 15-15 in the second quarter as W&J held a 46-27 lead at intermission before cruising to the victory.
 
Taylor Cortazzo recorded a game- and season-high 23 points while shooting 7-of-14 and 4-of-7 from beyond-the-arc.  Her 23 points are one shy of her career-high which was set on January 17, 2015 at Presidents' Athletic Conference rival Bethany.
 
Beka Bellhy, who tied former W&J standout Maggie Gibson for most games played in a career at 116, also reached double figures for the 12th-straight game with 10 points and also led the Presidents with a game-best four steals.
 
Rachel Bellhy and Danni Medovich both had six assists and Amirah Moore contributed eight points, eight rebounds and four helpers.
 
W&J controlled the paint, scoring 32 points to Marywood's 22, and grabbing 46 boards to the Pacers' 35.
 
The Presidents, looking to set a single-season program wins record, take on the third-seeded Mustangs on Sunday, March 6 at 2 p.m., in the Henry Memorial Center to decide the 2016 ECAC D-III South Women's Basketball Championship.