BEAVER FALLS, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson College women's basketball team stormed past the hosting Geneva Golden Tornadoes in Presidents' Athletic Conference play, Wednesday evening.
 
The win improves the Presidents to an 18-3 overall record with a 15-1 mark in PAC play. The Golden Tornadoes drop to a 6-9 record in conference play and 9-11 overall.
 
Katie Kovalchick (Shelocta, Pa./Indiana Area) dropped a career-high 20 points in the victory over the Golden Tornadoes. The sophomore center sunk 10-of-13 field goal attempts from the field and added six rebounds, one block and three assists to aid W&J's efforts. Joining Kovalchick in double figures were Stellanie Loutsion (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan), Adalynn Cherry (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area), Meghan Dryburgh (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) and Bryn Bezjak (Uniontown, Pa./Albert Gallatin). Loutsion scored 14 followed closely by Cherry and Dryburgh who put up 13 each. Bezjak rounded out the top contributors with 12 points on the night.
 
Dryburgh led the team in rebounds grabbing a game-high 16 boards to record her eighth double-double of the season. Dryburgh also dished out a game-high eight assists.
 
The Red & Black commanded a double-digit lead during the first quarter of play. W&J led off the game with a 13-2 run and methodically built on a 12-point lead to end the first ten minutes of play, 22-10. Contributions from Dryburgh on both ends of the court helped build the Presidents initial lead.
 
The Presidents were outscored 15-14 in the second quarter but their cushion from the first helped them remain in the driver's seat heading into the second half, 36-25.
 
Both teams kicked into gear in the second half putting up their best quarters of the game. W&J tallied 28 points. Two spitfire triples from Cherry grew the lead to 17 in the opening portion of the second half. Dancing around a 20-point lead, a Geneva three pointers with five seconds remaining brought the lead back to 19 in favor of the Presidents.
 
W&J sealed the contest in the final quarter as they outscored the opposition 25-17 in the final ten minutes. The team made 33-of-71 field goal attempts (46.5 percent) and drained five three-pointers in the victory.
 
The Presidents dished out 23 assists, just two assists short of their season high. The team also surpassed 50 rebounds on the night for the seventh time this season. W&J won the rebounding battle, holding a measurable 51-35 advantage over the Golden Tornadoes.
 
Women's basketball returns to action next on the road at Saint Vincent this Saturday (Feb 8.). Tip-off is slated for 4:00 p.m. in Latrobe, Pa.