Dec 11, 2022 3 min read

The 2022-23 season has been a difficult one for the Waynesburg University women’s basketball team. Heading into Saturday’s Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) matchup against Geneva on Saturday, the Yellow Jackets had scored fewer than 54 points in all but one their first eight games.

However, everything seemed to click for the Jackets in their most recent game, as they pulled out a thrilling 89-87 victory over the Golden Tornadoes. Anika Dansby hit the winning shot with 44 seconds to play. No team scored after that.

Waynesburg (1-4, 1-8) exploded out of the gate for 27 first-quarter points. Geneva (2-4, 2-8) showed off its offensive prowess in quarter number two by pouring in 30 points to the Jackets’ 21. By the time the two squads broke for their respective locker rooms, the Jackets trailed 49-48.

The Golden Tornadoes expanded their advantage to 72-64 after 30 minutes of action, but the home team had plenty left in the tank for what turned out to be one of its best quarters of the season.

After Geneva stretched its lead to 73-64 with a free throw, Waynesburg answered with an 11-0 run to take a 75-73 edge. The run was a true team effort, as junior Avery Robinson, freshman Madison Platt, junior Marley Wolf , freshman Emma Seto and freshman Aubrey Burns all scored during the surge.

Robinson led the way with a team-high 27 points. She completed a double-double with a game-high 14 rebounds and nearly reached a triple-double thanks to her contest-best eight assists. As if all that wasn’t enough, Robinson swiped away three steals.

Wolf went for 13 points and six rebounds before fouling out after 21 minutes on the floor, while Seto tallied a double-double on 12 points and 12 rebounds, eight of which were offensive. Burns went for 10 points and seven rebounds.

Men’s results

Jackets fall: The Waynesburg University men’s basketball team hosted Geneva on Saturday for Alumni Day. Though the first half was a struggle for the Yellow Jackets, the home team couldn’t complete the comeback, as the Golden Tornadoes left town with a 71-55 win in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference.

The GT’s tallied four of the half’s final five points to take a 38-16 score into halftime.

The Yellow Jackets (1-5, 3-6) continued to chip away at the seemingly insurmountable deficit until a Scheidt field goal pulled the home team to within 11 points (63-52) with three minutes left to play. Waynesburg was unable to pull any closer to what would have been a legendary comeback, as Geneva remained atop the PAC.

Graduate student guard Matt Popeck led the Waynesburg offense with 24 points that included a seven-for-eight showing at the foul line. Junior Antone Baker continued his recent string of strong performers by posting a double-double on 13 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.