Feb 5, 2020 4 min read

Facing an early deficit, the Washington & Jefferson College women’s basketball team rallied in the second and third quarters then held off first-place Westminster in the final minutes for a 55-48 win in a Presidents’ Athletic Conference game Wednesday night at Salvitti Family Gymnasium.

The Presidents, who improve to 8-4 in the PAC and 13-7 overall, trailed 14-8 after the first quarter. That was until Allie Seto and Lauren Gilbert guided W&J out of the early hold it dug.

Seto scored 21 and Gilbert added 14 as W&J took a one-point lead in halftime, 21-20. The Presidents extended that lead to five points entering the final quarter. They went 9-for-10 from the foul line in the fourth to preserve the victory. Seto also had 17 rebounds.

The loss snaps a six-game winning streak for Westminster (10-2, 17-4). Alazia Greaves and Camden Hergenrother each scored 10 points for the Titans.

California 76, Pitt-Johnstown 51: A close game until the fourth quarter, California outscored Pitt-Johnstown 26-2 in the final frame and went onto win its third straight game, 76-51, in a PSAC West Division game.

Cal (10-6, 16-6) led by only one point, 50-49, entering the fourth. That was when Pitt-Johnstown (7-9, 12-10) went cold from the field, making just one of its final 10 shots.

The Vulcans opened the fourth quarter on a 12-point run, ended by a layup from Shauna Harrison with 6:26 remaining. The lone basket made by UPJ in the final quarter was a jumper by Olivia Fasick at 6:09.

Harrison led both teams in points (28) and rebounds (11). She made six three-pointers. D.J. Hahn was the only other Vulcan in double figures, finishing with 10 points.

Outside of the dismal fourth, Pitt-Johnstown shot well from the field. In the first three quarters, it was 22-for-40. The Mountain Cats didn’t attempt a free throw the entire game.

Waynesburg 93, Geneva 58: First pulling away in the second quarter, Waynesburg kept its foot on the gas and matched its season-high point total in a 93-58 win over visiting PAC foe Geneva.

It was the third time the Yellow Jackets, who are 3-8 in the PAC and 4-16 overall, have reached 93 points. They scored 93 in their first win over Geneva and also against Thiel.

Most of Waynesburg’s points were generated by Andrea Orlosky, who finished with 25, and Alli DeLaney, who finished with 22. Brooke Fuller added 16 points.

Geneva (2-15, 1-9) trailed by four points after the first quarter but that deficit grew to 17 entering halftime, 44-27. The Golden Tornadoes went just 23-for-87 (26%) from the field and 3-for-33 (9%) from three-point range.

Lauren Tipton was the only player for Geneva not to have shooting troubles. She made 10 of her 19 shots for 25 points and also grabbed 16 rebounds.

Men’s results

Washington & Jefferson 82, Westminster 74, OT: AJ Blue made a game-tying three-pointer with four seconds left and Washington & Jefferson used that momentum to defeat visiting Westminster in overtime, 82-74, in a PAC game.

The three from Blue tied the game at 69-69.

The Presidents, who improve to 6-6 in the PAC and 11-10 overall, gradually built their lead in overtime through balanced scoring. Five players for W&J scored in double figures, including a team-high 17 from Cameron Seemann.

Isaac Stamatiades led Westminster (7-5, 12-9) with 22 points.

Geneva 65, Waynesburg 63: Nick Rusyn made a putback with three seconds left as Geneva defeated Waynesburg in a PAC game, 65-63.

The game-winning basket by Rusyn was on an offensive rebound after a missing layup from the Golden Tornadoes, who led by eight points with just 2:32 remaining in regulation.

Waynesburg (4-17, 4-8) tied the game at 63-63 when Frank Bozicevic made a three-pointer with 36 seconds left. Bozicevic led the Yellow Jacks with 17 points. Ryan Felberg scored 16, Isaiah Alonzo added 14 and Brennan Smith chipped in with 12 points.

Ethan Moose and Matt Veynovich each finished with 15 points to lead Geneva (10-10, 6-5). Moose also grabbed 14 rebounds.

Pitt-Johnstown 103, California 94: Josh Wise led a balanced scoring attack with six players in double figures as Pitt-Johnstown defeated visiting California, 103-94, in a PSAC West Division game.

Wise, a Washington High School graduate, went 8-for-17 from the field, including making six three-pointers, to lead the Mountain Cats with 26 points and 11 rebounds.

Pitt-Johnstown (11-4, 17-5) led 52-43 at halftime and the teams matched one another with 51 points apiece in the second half.

The Mountain Cats held a lead despite four players from California (11-4, 15-6) reaching double figures and the Vulcans making 17 three-pointers.

Cal’s Brent Pegram led all scorers with 29 points. Jermaine Hall had 19 and Luke House scored 16.