WASHINGTON, Pa. -- La Roche used a fast start to record a wire-to-wire 70-58 victory over the Washington & Jefferson women's basketball team in the Championship Game of the Springhill Suites Tip-off Tournament Saturday afternoon at Salvitti Family Gymnasium.
Sophomore forward
Sarah Berardelli (Ambridge, Pa./North Catholic) led the Presidents with a team-high 17 points. Berardelli turned in a strong all-around performance, as she added eight rebounds, five assists and three blocks in the setback.
Meghan Dryburgh (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) posted her second consecutive double-double, as the freshman finished 13 points and 11 rebounds. Senior guard
Piper Morningstar (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) chipped in 12 points to give the Red and Black a third scorer in double figures.
The visiting Redhawks scored the game's first seven points to stake themselves to an early lead. The Presidents countered with a layup by Berardelli and a three-point basket by junior forward
Victoria Koeck (Sidman, Pa./Forest Hills) to pull within two at the 5:57 mark. Five consecutive points, which included a three by Danajah Sanders, gave the Redhawks a 19-9 lead after the first quarter.
The two teams played through a back and forth second quarter in which each team scored 15 points. La Roche stretched its lead to as many as 18 points when a three-point basket by Ayanna Mazyck gave La Roche a 29-11 lead at the 6:46 mark. W&J put together a run of its own just before halftime. Berardelli and Dryburgh combined to account for the final nine points for the Presidents in the second quarter. A layup by Berardelli with 13 seconds to play in the half cut the La Roche lead to 34-24 at halftime.
W&J continued to chip away at the La Roche lead for the vast majority of the third quarter. After a three-point field goal by Sanders stretched the La Roche lead back into double digits, W&J countered with nine straight points, which included a trey by Morningstar. Berardelli capped the run with a made jumper to pull within a pair at 37-35 with 5:03 to play in the third. A split at the charity stripe by Koeck trimmed the deficit to 40-38 at the 3:58 mark. W&J was forced to play without Dryburgh for three-plus minutes due to her third foul. That seemed to play a role in stopping the W&J momentum and La Roche took advantage as they closed the quarter on a 13-2 run to stretch. That extended run allowed the Redhawks to take a 53-40 lead into the fourth.
A pair of three-point field goals by
Kamryn Lach (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) wrapped around a field goal by Morningstar pulled W&J within seven (57-50) with 5:51 to play in regulation. La Roche effectively put the game away by scoring five of the next six points to stretch the lead to 62-51 with 2:37 left.
La Roche held advantages in points off turnovers (19-10) and points in the paint (32-26). W&J out-rebounded La Roche by a 41-34 margin.
W&J (1-2) hosts future Presidents' Athletic Conference member Allegheny College in a non-league game on Tuesday, Nov. 23. Tip off is scheduled for 5 p.m.
Sanders was named Tournament Most Outstanding Player, as the senior finished with 25 points. Shaundrea Butler (La Roche), Dryburgh (W&J), Abbey Lawrence (Case Western Reserve) and Maddie Goodman (Denison) joined Sanders on the All-Tournament Team.
Denison rallied to down CWRU by a 79-74 score in Saturday's consolation game. Goodman sparked the comeback with a 26-point effort for the Big Red. Lawrence poured in 20 points for the Spartans. CWRU led 61-55 entering the fourth quarter.
