W&J women knock off previously unbeaten CMU
PITTSBURGH – The Washington & Jefferson women’s basketball team rode a strong first quarter to earn a wire-to-wire victory over previously unbeaten Carnegie Mellon, 56-48, Monday afternoon at Wiegand Gym.
The Presidents, who improved to 10-1, piled up 25 first-quarter points, almost half their total for the game. W&J led 25-15 after one quarter against the cold-shooting Tartans (8-1), who shot 26 percent from the field and made just one of 17 three-point attempts.
W&J increased its lead to 34-22 at halftime and held the Tartans scoreless for more seven minutes in the second quarter.
Adalynn Cherry led W&J in scoring with 18 points. She tossed in 16 of those in the first half. All four of Cherry’s three-point field goals came before halftime.
CMU took advantage of some W&J turnovers in the second half and closed to within 48-46 with 1:47 remaining in the game.
However, the Presidents used baskets by Sarah Berardelli and Victoria Koeck to stretch its lead back to six points. Cherry and Bryn Bezjak combined to convert four free throws over the final 13 seconds to seal the victory.
Bezjak finished with 13 points and Berardelli had 10. Meghan Dryburgh grabbed 10 rebounds.
CMU’s Catherine Or scored a game-high 22 points but the Tartans couldn’t overcome shooting only 4 percent from three-point range.