WASHINGTON, Pa. -- Freshman guard
Bryn Bezjak (Uniontown, Pa./Albert Gallatin) recorded a season-high 14 points off the bench to spark Washington & Jefferson to a 59-50 victory over visiting Bethany College in a Presidents' Athletic Conference game Wednesday evening at Salvitti Family Gymnasium.
The matchup was an early-season battle of PAC unbeatens. The win moves W&J to 3-0 in the league and 6-3 overall. The W&J win snaps Bethany's six-game winning streak and drops the Bison to 2-1 in conference play and 6-2 overall.
Both teams struggled offensively to find their footing early on. After two-plus scoreless minutes of action to open the game, W&J senior
Kamryn Lach (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) and Bethany freshman Lindsey Garrison exchanged triples to get both teams on the board.
Senior guard
Piper Morningstar (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) and Bezjak helped W&J forge an 11-9 lead with consecutive baskets late in the first quarter. Bezjak drained a three-point field goal early in the second quarter to strengthen W&J's lead to five points at 14-9. The Bison used a 10-4 run to take a 19-18 lead on a three-pointer by Ashleigh Wheeler with 5:08 to play in the frame.
After a layup by sophomore
Sarah Berardelli (Ambridge, Pa./North Catholic) evened the score at 21-21, the Bison used a 6-0 run over the final 1:32 of the second quarter to take a 27-21 lead into halftime. The Bison opened the third quarter with consecutive field goals to extend their lead to 31-21. The 10-point advantage was the largest of the night for Bethany.
At that point, W&J buckled down defensively and started executing on the offensive end to get themselves back into the game. The Presidents used an extended 12-2 run to tie the score. Junior
Victoria Koeck (Sidman, Pa./Forest Hills) and freshman
Meghan Dryburgh (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) combined to account for seven straight points, which allowed W&J to pull within three points after a layup by Koeck trimmed the deficit to 31-28. A little more than four minutes later, Lach buried a three-pointer to even the score at 33-33 with 2:18 to play in the quarter. A driving layup by Bezjak with 24 seconds to play in the third gave W&J a 37-35 lead after three quarters of play.
W&J opened the fourth quarter with eight consecutive points to extend its lead into double digits. Bezjak and Lach drained consecutive three-point field goals before senior
Aleena McDaniel (Morgantown, W.Va./Morgantown) sank a pair of free throws to give W&J a 45-35 lead with 7:13 to play. Just when it appeared W&J had taken control, Bethany used a 12-2 surge to pull even at 47 on a three-pointer by Wheeler. McDaniel had the answer for the Presidents, as the senior scored five consecutive points to give W&J the lead for good. McDaniel's layup with 2:25 to play gave the Presidents a 52-47 advantage.
After the Bison cut the deficit to a single possession with a triple, Lach buried a backbreaker as she drained a trey with the shot clock winding down. Lach's three gave the Presidents a 55-50 edge with just 38 seconds to play. Freshman guard
Adalynn Cherry (Altoona, Pa./Altoona) drained four free throws over the final 20 seconds to finish off the victory. W&J held the Bison scoreless over the final 2:10 of the game.
Lach led the Presidents with a season-high 14 points. Lach converted all three of her field goal attempts in the second half, all of which came from behind the three-point line. Dryburgh pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds. McDaniel added seven points and three steals off of the bench.
W&J held advantages in bench points (22-6), fast breaks (16-0) and rebounding (31-29). The Presidents defense held the Bison's potent offense in check. Bethany, who currently leads the PAC in scoring at 71.4 points per game, was held to just 50 points Wednesday. Garrison, Bethany's leading scorer at at 16.6 points per game, finished with just nine points on 2-of-9 shooting from the field. W&J has held its opponents under 60 points in each of its six wins this season.
Makenzee Mason, the 2021 PAC Newcomer of the Year, led the Bison with a game-high 16 points.
W&J returns to action with a non-conference road game versus Dickinson on Tuesday, Dec. 30. Tip off is scheduled for 3 p.m.
