Defense disappears as W&J falls in ECAC quarterfinals
Lauren Gilbert attempts a layup after stealing a pass.
Jacob Calvin Meyer/Observer-Reporter
W&J’s Lauren Gilbert drives to the hoop against William Paterson’s Tori Woetzel.
Hannah Johnston attempts a jumper for W&J.
Despite leading William Paterson for nearly the first 34 minutes of the game, the Washington & Jefferson women’s basketball team couldn’t make the defensive adjustments to lead for the last six minutes of the game.
With the Presidents leading 64-57 and eight minutes left in the game, the Pioneers went on a 21-6 run en route to an 81-80 win in the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference quarterfinals against host and No. 1-seeded W&J.
“We just let them ram the ball down our throats,” said W&J head coach Jina ReRubbo. “They just did whatever they wanted. We can’t play defense – or won’t. We won’t play defense.”
Outside of five made three-pointers, four of which came from Ashley Castillo, the Pioneers scored all of their points by relatively uncontested layups or at the free-throw line. William Paterson (16-12) shot 50 percent from the field and made 26 of 43 free throws.
“This team has been fighting all season,” said William Paterson head coach Erin Monahan. “We had a double overtime win the other night. … They’ve been fighting through everything. I’m really proud of them.”
While the Presidents led for much of the first half, the Pioneers kept it close, keeping W&J’s lead to less than five points.
With the score tied at 21 after the first quarter, though, W&J (22-6) started to pull away late in the second quarter. After leading 33-32 with about three minutes left in the first half, the Presidents ended the half on an 11-2 run to lead by 10 at halftime.
William Paterson answered back to start the third quarter as the Pioneers went on a 9-0 run to trail by only three points.
DeRubbo said “defensive breakdowns” allowed William Paterson to get back into the game in the third quarter.
“We refuse to play defense,” DeRubbo said. “You’re up 10 and then we give up a four-point play. We just refused to play defense. Our defense was really good at the beginning of the year, so I know they’re capable, but we just didn’t get it done.”
One of the players who was causing the Presidents defense fits “over and over again” was Julie Rovito, who scored 21 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out six assists.
“We talked about how good she is on the open floor,” DeRubbo said. “She isn’t fast, but she’s crafty and strong and gets to the rim, and we let her beat us off the drive the whole game.”
After trailing by six points heading into the fourth quarter, the Pioneers went on another run to start the final period. Alisa Giordano and Carolyn Hill, who scored six and 18 points, respectively, scored 10 straight points to give the Pioneers a three-point lead with about five minutes left in the game. The Pioneers didn’t relinquish the lead, though it wasn’t with a fight from the Presidents.
After an 8-0 run put the Pioneers on top with 36 seconds remaining, W&J’s Mya Gordon made two free throws, Alie Seto scored a traditional three-point play and Amirah Moore knocked down a pair at the charity stripe to put the Presidents down three points. With the Presidents trailing by four points with less than 10 seconds left, Lauren Gilbert, who led W&J with 19 points, made a three-pointer.
The Pioneers passed the ball in with about six seconds left in the game, but two Presidents defenders tried to trap her before committing what the referees deemed a foul.
“They wouldn’t call a foul,” DeRubbo said. “We were fouling. We wanted to foul, and still they let four seconds tick off the clock there.”
With the loss, W&J’s season is over. The Presidents graduate five seniors, with the most notable names being Moore, who scored 18 points, Gordon and Taley Dunaway, both of whom chipped in with 12 points.
“They have stuck it out,” DeRubbo said. “Rachel Bellhy, who’s sitting on the bench and can’t play, they’ve stuck together and won a lot of games over the course of their four years. They’ve grown up, and it’s been great having them here.”