WASHINGTON, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson College women's basketball team earned a gritty 66-62 win over Bethany in a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) conference tournament quarterfinal at the Salvitti Family Gymnasium on Monday evening.
The second-seeded Presidents advance to the semifinal round where they'll host No. 3 Grove City on Wednesday evening.
W&J led for 36:54 of the game's 40 minutes (92.3), but Bethany kept its deficit at single digits for the entire evening.
The Presidents used an 8-0 run in the third quarter to extend a 38-37 advantage to a game-high nine points (46-37) with 4:47 left in the period.
However, Bethany scored the final five points of the quarter to make W&J's lead 49-46 heading into the fourth quarter. The Bison scored the first basket of the fourth quarter to make it a one-point game with 8:52 left in regulation.
The Presidents turned to seniors
Maria Lawhorne (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) and
Alie Seto (Allison, Pa./Brownsville), as the duo scored the game's next seven points. Lawhorne scored immediately after Bethany cut the advantage to one and Seto converted a layup and a three-point play to put the Presidents ahead 56-48 with 6:41 left.
Seto and Lawhorne each added an additional fourth quarter bucket down the stretch as W&J stayed one step ahead of Bethany. The Bison took advantage of some late missed free throws to make it a 60-57 game with a minute left in regulation, but
Lauren Gilbert (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) and
Hannah Johnston both knocked down a pair of free throws in the final minute to seal the game.
Bethany took its only lead of the evening on the game's opening basket by Makenzee Mason. W&J responded with nine-straight points from a pair of Lawhorne layups, a three by
Piper Morningstar (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) and a pair of Seto free throws. The Bison responded by scoring the next seven points and would not trail by double figures all night.
The Presidents shot just three-of-16 (18.8 percent) from the field in the first quarter, but W&J knocked down eight free throws in the quarter as the teams battled to a 15-15 score after the first 10 minutes.
In the second quarter, threes from
Victoria Koeck (Sidman, Pa./Forest Hills) and
Kamryn Lach (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) put W&J ahead 23-17 with 8:31 left in the first half. Bethany reeled off five straight points to trim the deficit to one, before Lawhorne and Gilbert made back-to-back baskets to go up 27-22. Bethany again cut the lead to one, but consecutive post moves for layups by
Sarah Berardelli (Ambridge, Pa./North Catholic) kept W&J one step ahead.
Gilbert broke a 31-31 tie with a three with 2:46 left in the first half. Seto scored in the final minute to put W&J ahead 37-33 at the halftime break.
Seto finished with 17 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and three blocks. She converted nine-of-11 free throws on the evening. Lawhorne poured in 16 points and collected seven rebounds. Gilbert had 12 points, six rebounds, and six assists.
W&J grabbed 18 offensive rebounds and attempted nine more shots and 11 more free throws than Bethany.
The Presidents earned the PAC Tournament win despite shooting under 40 percent from the field for the first time all season. W&J shot 21-of-61 (34.4) percent from the field after shooting over 40 percent in all six regular season games.
Mason led Bethany with 26 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Nikki Bradbury made five threes on her way to 20 points for Bethany.
The second-seeded Presidents host third-seeded Grove City in the PAC semifinals Wednesday evening. The Presidents' and Wolverines' did not play in the 2020-21 regular season.
