MARIETTA, Ohio – The Washington & Jefferson women's basketball team dropped a low-scoring bout to the Marietta Pioneers, 63-59. In their first nonconference bout since the Carnegie Mellon defeat, W&J now shifts to 9-2 overall on the season.
Meghan Dryburgh (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) posted another crucial performance with her third-consecutive double-double and sixth on the season. The Presidents' star-studded senior compiled 21 rebounds and 10 points. She also added four blocks, two steals and two assists.
Stellanie Loutsion (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) dropped another double-digit performance with 22 points on the night with six assists and four steals.
Marietta catapulted out to a 9-3 early in the first quarter of play. Loutsion scored the first 12 points of the game for the Presidents, setting the tone with her offensive presence inside and outside the arc. A Dryburgh layup brought the Presidents within one, prior to the Pioneers closing the opening quarter with an 18-14 lead.
In the lowest scoring quarter of the bout, W&J commanded offensively outscoring Marietta 10-4. Loutsion sparked the scoring for the Presidents' again in the second quarter, securing two points at the charity stripe. A made triple from beyond the arc by
Halena Hill (Pittsburgh, Pa./Oakland Catholic) gave the Presidents' their first lead of the bout, 23-22. A free throw made by
Jacey Mullen (New Springfield, Ohio/Springfield Local) closed the scoring out for each side in the first half, with W&J up 24-22.
Trading shots out of the half, W&J claimed a five-point lead off a triple from
Adalynn Cherry (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area), 31-26. Through the midst of the third quarter, Loutsion fought for an old fashioned three-point play to elevate the Presidents' lead to six.
Jaden Wan (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock) fended off the Pioneers with a successful three pointer before succumbing to the aggressive Pioneer offense as they brought the W&J lead to one at the close of the third quarter, 43-42.
Marietta reclaimed the lead early in the fourth before another triple from Cherry swapped the lead in favor of W&J, 50-49. The Pioneers ripped a 7-0 run with two minutes remaining in the final quarter of play to go up by six, 58-52. Layups by Loutsion and Dryburgh coupled with a triple by Wan brought the Presidents within three on two occasions, but to no avail as the Presidents dropped a 63-59 decision.
W&J held formidable advantages in the rebound battle (41-32), second-chance points (19-3), and bench points (10-5). On the flip side, Marietta held slight advantages in points off of turnovers (14-13) and paint points (30-28).
The Presidents take a brief break for the holiday season before squaring off with Penn State Behrend prior to the new year on Monday (Dec. 30). Tipoff is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
