WASHINGTON, Pa. – Graduate student Riley DeRubbo (Washington, Pa./Trinity) drained a go-ahead three-point field goal in the final minute to help the Washington & Jefferson women's basketball team (3-0) secure a 66-65 victory over the Mount Union Purple Raiders (3-1) in Saturday action at the Hampton Inn by Hilton Tip-off Tournament.

DeRubbo, who later earned Tournament Most Valuable Player status, finished with 19 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks. Junior center Katie Kovalchick (Shelocta, Pa./Indiana Area) matched the team high with 19 points with an efficient 8-of-10 performance from the field. Senior guard Stellanie Loutsion (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) added 13 points and a game-high five assists. Junior forward Jaden Wan (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock) chipped in nine points, seven rebounds and three steals off the bench. Junior guard Marina Grado (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway) secured a spot on All-Tournament Team after totaling four points, four assists, five rebounds and no turnovers from the point guard spot. 

For the second-straight day, W&J pushed out to an early lead behind strong offense. The Presidents made eight field goals including a pair of three-point attempts to lead 20-12 after the opening 10 minutes. Loutsion and Kovalchick each knocked down shots from distance as W&J scored the opening eight points.

The Red and Black maintained a comfortable lead throughout the second quarter. DeRubbo drained a three-point attempt and Wan added a layup just moments later as W&J led by a 33-22 margin just before halftime. The visitors cut the Presidents' lead to 35-28 at the break.

The third quarter featured more of the same as the Presidents continued to maintain their lead. Consecutive layups by Loutsion allowed W&J to stretch the lead to 51-42 midway through the third. W&J seemed poised to put the game away late in the quarter as five-straight points by DeRubbo made it 58-44 at the 2:26 mark.

A furious comeback by Mount Union coupled with W&J's offense going cold allowed the visitors to make a run at victory. The Presidents misfired on their first 11 field goal attempts of the fourth quarter. The Purple Raiders logged an 18-0 run over a seven-plus minutes stretch to open the fourth. Trailing by four points, Kovalchick made a layup at the 1:43 mark for W&J's first points of the fourth. Following a defensive stop by the Presidents, W&J had its shot to tie or regain the lead. DeRubbo worked herself open on the perimeter and buried a triple to give the Presidents' the game-deciding points.

After recording three wins in their opening week of competition, the Presidents hit the road next weekend for a pair of non-conference games. W&J heads to Ohio to take part in the 39th annual Jim Meagle Classic hosted by Marietta College. The Presidents face host Marietta on Friday (Nov. 21) and seventh-ranked Cortland on Saturday (Nov. 22).