Feb 29, 2020 2 min read

LATROBE – Jordan McConnell scored a team-high 12 points and Grove City held on down the stretch for a 54-52 victory over Washington & Jefferson in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference women’s basketball championship game Saturday at Saint Vincent College’s Carey Center.

The win secures a berth in the NCAA Division III tournament for Grove City (25-2). The Wolverines, who have a 12-game winning streak, won their first PAC title since 1987.

W&J (18-10), which routed top seed Saint Vincent in the semifinals Friday night, carried over the momentum from that win and led 19-13 after one quarter before pushing the gap to nine points early in the second quarter. The Presidents, however, went cold from the field for the almost two full quarters. They were held to eight points in the second quarter but managed to hold a 27-24 lead at the break.

Grove City limited W&J to only five points in the third quarter but the Wolverines scored just eight of their own and the game was tied, 32-32, after three quarters.

Grove City took the lead for good at 37-35 on a three-pointer by Jess Bowen with 7:55 remaining. Bowen finished with 10 points.

The Wolverines stretched their lead to 50-44 with 2:55 remaining but W&J made a final push and a three-pointer by Victoria Koeck cut the GC lead to 51-50 with 34 seconds to play.

Emma Vezzosi made two free throws for the Wolverines to make it a three-point game before Alie Seto converted two free throws with five seconds left, trimming Grove City’s edge to 53-52.

McConnell made one of two free throws with three seconds remaining to end the scoring.

Seto continued her strong play by scoring a game-high 24 points. She also had a game-high 15 rebounds.

Koeck, who made four of five three-point attempts, had 12 points.

Kat6e Balcom scored 10 poinhts for Grove City.