GROVE CITY, Pa. – Sophomore guard/forward
Meghan Dryburgh (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) posted a season-high 22 points and pulled down a career-high 26 rebounds to guide the Washington & Jefferson women's basketball team to a 59-48 victory over the host Grove City Wolverines Saturday at the College Arena in Mercer County.
The victory extends the Presidents' winning streak to 14 games, its longest such winning streak in 20 years. W&J is 15-1 overall and 11-0 in Presidents' Athletic Conference play. The loss drops Grove City to 8-7 overall and 8-2 in league games.
Dryburgh posted her 10th double-double of the season and seventh in the past eight games. The three-time PAC Player of the Week made 9-of-14 shots from the field while draining both of her three-point attempts. The 26 rebounds match Heather Dawkins' total vs. Bethany on Feb. 19, 1994 for the second most in a single game in program history. The program single-game record is 28 by Kim Eisminger. Dryburgh also finished with game highs in assists (5) and blocks (4).
Both teams got off to a slow start offensively. However, a pair of field goals by
Bryn Bezjak (Uniontown, Pa./Albert Gallatin) and a layup by
Stellanie Loutsion (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) gave W&J an 8-0 lead at the 4:21 mark of the first quarter. After six-plus scoreless minutes, Grove City finally was able to get on the board with a three-point field goal at the 3:48 mark. The two teams exchanged baskets as W&J took a 10-5 advantage after the first quarter.
Grove City found its offensive rhythm in the second quarter and took an 11-10 lead when Mara Polczynski made a fast break layup with 7:44 remaining in the second quarter.
After this lead change the Presidents and Wolverines would exchange lead changes until the Presidents grew a five-point lead before the half. The Presidents bench was crucial in extending this lead before the half as
Sydney Snyder (Loudonville, Ohio / Loudonville) drained a three from beyond the arc followed by a driving layup by
Alyssa Pollice (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Bishop Canevin).
The Wolverines continued to threaten the Presidents throughout the second half. A layup by Emily Garvin at the 1:52 mark created another lead change making the score, 35-33, as Grove City erased a double-digit deficit from earlier in the third quarter.
However, the Presidents countered with a strong fourth quarter as Grove City went cold to help the Red and Black keep its winning streak intact. Dryburgh simply took over the game over the final 10 minutes and willed W&J to victory. The sophomore posted 13 points and pulled down 12 rebounds in the fourth quarter alone.
Dryburgh helped W&J regain the lead with a jumper at the 6:29 mark. After Grove City responded with a basket of its own to knot the score at 41-41, W&J finished the game with an 18-7 run. Back-to-back field goals by Dryburgh strengthened the W&J lead to 48-41 with 4:52 to play.
Adalynn Cherry (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area) and Bezjak combined to knock down 7-of-10 free throw attempts over the final 1:11 to close out the game. W&J went 7 for 11 (64 percent) from the field over the final 10 minutes. Grove City hit 4 of 18 (22 percent) of its field goal attempts in the final quarter.
Bezjak also scored in double figures, as the sophomore finished with 14 points, four assists and three steals.
W&J was able to win despite shooting just 20 percent from three-point range (3-15) and just 57.1 percent from the free throw line (16-28). W&J and Grove City finished even in the points in the paint (26-26). Despite Dryburgh's impressive 26-rebound performance the Presidents were edged in the category by the Wolverines (47-45).
W&J hosts Westminster for a conference matchup on Wednesday, Jan. 18. Tip off is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Salvitti Family Gymnasium.
