Jan 21, 2017 4 min read

WAYNESBURG – Kelsea Daugherty, Hayley Holenka and Sammie Weiss scored 68 of the Bethany Bison’s 76 points en route to a 76-69 win at Waynesburg University Saturday.

The win was Bethany’s first over Waynesburg since Jan. 26, 2011.

“Those three are really good ballplayers,” said Bethany head coach Brian Sansom. “Two of them, Kelsea Daugherty and Haley Holenka, are very experienced in these types of games, and Sammie is coming into her own. We have a three-headed monster, and when you look at the stats those are our three leading scorers.”

Daugherty, a junior forward, came into the game knowing she was going up against one of the best frontcourt players in junior forward Addy Knetzer.

In Knetzer’s first five games against Bethany (9-8, 7-3), she averaged 20.8 points and 11 rebounds en route to a Waynesburg (10-7, 6-4) win in all five games.

Knetzer had 23 points and eight rebounds, but Daugherty was better, scoring a career-high 34 points on 12 of 19 shooting, grabbing 13 rebounds and making 10 of 12 free throws while playing all 40 minutes.

“I knew (Knetzer) was a very tough post player, and I knew she was going to take away my post moves,” Daugherty said.

“So I just kind of started hitting outside shots and they were falling for me.”

Sansom, who is in his first year coaching the Bison, said that’s the best he’s seen Daugherty play.

“(She was) phenomenal. One of the better games I’ve seen from any kid in our conference,” he said.

Waynesburg head coach Sam Jones has coached against Daugherty for three years, and he was impressed with her performance.

“She was strong around the basket, and she made her free throws, which is part of the reason for the big total,” Jones said. “That’s definitely the best I’ve ever seen her play, and she’s a great player. But she definitely took it to a different level for sure.”

In the first quarter, Daugherty and Weiss, a transfer from California University and graduate of McGuffey High School, scored 17 of Bethany’s 18 points, as the Bison and Jackets were tied at 18 going into the second quarter.

Bethany led for most of the second quarter. Holenka, a senior guard, scored eight points in the period. Waynesburg took the lead late in the quarter, entering halftime with a 34-32 lead.

Daugherty and Weiss returned to form in the third quarter, scoring a combined 17 points to help Bethany retake the lead, 55-54.

The Bison started the fourth quarter on a 16-7 run, giving them the seven-point win and moving them to second place in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference.

“Before the season our goal was to finish second in the conference, and the fact that we were picked seventh kind of set us off and made us want to prove everybody wrong,” Daugherty said. “So it’s a very huge win and shows how good we can be and how far we can go in the conference.”

Both teams shot 38 percent from the field, but Bethany took 37 free throws compared to Waynesburg’s five, scoring 23 more points from the free throw line than the Jackets.

Waynesburg senior guard Katie Gehlmann scored 14 points and sophomore point guard Monica Starre had nine assists.

Jones said when teams start double- and triple-teaming Knetzer down low, other players have to step up.

“The other people have to make shots, and no one shot the ball particularly well today,” Jones said. “That’s really what it boils down to (in this game).”

Holenka scored 11 points and grabbed eight rebounds while Weiss had 23 points, six rebounds and three assists. The Bison are 5-1 since Weiss joined the squad. The sophomore guard is already scoring in double figures and starting for the Bison.

“She’s very important,” Daugherty said. “She picks us up when we’re down. She’s hits a lot of big shots and she gets the momentum going.”

Jones has coached against a Bethany squad that has only had two double-digit scorers for the past few years, but this game was different because of Weiss.

“Obviously, every time that you add someone who can score like Sammie Weiss, it’s difficult,” Jones said. “She’s a great player, but every time you have to defend two instead of three, it makes things more difficult.”

Both teams return to action Wednesday, Jan. 25. The Bison host Geneva at 6 p.m., while the Jackets host Grove City at 5:30 p.m.