WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson College women's basketball team rode a strong opening quarter to claim a 70-53 victory over visiting Waynesburg University in Presidents' Athletic Conference game Saturday afternoon on Senior Day at Salvitti Family Gymnasium.

The victory gave W&J its 20th of the season as they improved to 20-4 overall. The Presidents hold a a 17-2 record in the PAC. This marks the
16th time in 21 seasons that head coach Jina DeRubbo has won 20 games or more games in a season. Waynesburg drops to 12-11 overall and 7-11 in the conference.

W&J had four players finish in double figures scoring. Stellanie Loutsion (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) led the way with a team high 15 points in the victory. Katie Kovalchick (Shelocta, Pa./Indiana Area) made five of six field goal attempts and finished with 11 points and seven rebounds. In her final regular season home game, Meghan Dryburgh (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) registered 10 points and 16 rebounds for yet another double-double effort. Bryn Bezjak reached double figures on Senior Day with 10 points. Riley DeRubbo (Washington, Pa./Trinity) and Jacey Mullen (New Springfield, Ohio/Springfield Local) added eight points apiece off the bench.

The Presidents limited the Yellow Jackets to just one made field goal in 18 attempts in the opening 10 minutes of play. The stingy defense and some four made three-pointers pushed W&J out to a 20-3 lead at the end of the first quarter. Samantha Maurer (Washington, Pa./Washington) scored the game's opening points.

The senior drained a three-point field goal on W&J's opening possession of the game. Loutsion then accounted for the next nine points for the Presidents, as they lead moved to 12-3 at the 1:45 mark of the first quarter. Mullen tacked on a layup in front of made three-point field goals by DeRubbo and Adalynn Cherry (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area) in the final minute of the quarter.

Both teams scored 16 points in the second quarter. The lead reached as many as 19 points in the frame after Bezjak converted a pair of free throws to open the scoring in the quarter. Waynesburg responded with nine-straight points to trim the deficit to 24-14 at the 6:23 mark. A pair of free throws by Bezjak and a layup by Loutsion strengthened the W&J advantage. Dryburgh converted a layup in the final two minutes which allowed W&J to carry a 36-19 lead into halftime.

W&J continued to hold a commanding lead throughout the second half. A successful layup by Dryburgh in front of a three-point field goal by Bezjak stretched the W&J lead to 44-23 with 5:22 to play in the quarter. A steal and layup by Marina Grado (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway) made it a 25-point lead at 49-24. Waynesburg closed the quarter with 12-straight points to trim the W&J lead to 49-36 heading to the fourth.

Kovalchick was the go-to performer for the Presidents in the fourth quarter. Kovalchick scored 11 points in the final frame to help W&J close out the 17-point victory.

W&J put together a 47-37 rebounding advantage. The Presidents outscored the Yellow Jackets by a 34-18 margin in the paint. W&J was near perfect from the free throw line at 11-12 (91.7 percent). Defensively, W&J limited Waynesburg to 28.1 percent from the field (18-64) and 12 percent (3-25) from three-point range.

The Presidents travel to Thiel College for its regular season finale on Wednesday, Feb. 19. Start time is scheduled for 5 p.m. between the Presidents and Tomcats.

W&J honored Dryburgh, Cherry, Bezjak, Maurer and student assistant coach Sydney Snyder prior to the contest. The group has been one of the most successful classes in program history. The group holds an overall record of 89-15 and a 71-5 record against PAC competition during the regular season. This class has helped W&J put together a 53-6 record right here at Salvitti Family Gymnasium. The group helped W&J capture the 2021-22 PAC Tournament title with an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.