Feb 20, 2022 6 min read

The Washington & Jefferson men’s basketball team ran its winning streak to nine games with a 77-55 victory over visiting Grove City in a Presidents’ Athletic Conference game Saturday afternoon at Salvitti Family Gymnasium.

The win secured the top seed in the upcoming PAC Tournament for the Presidents, who finish the regular season at 16-2 in league play and 21-4 overall. The loss drops the Wolverines to 5-12 in conference play and 9-15 overall. The victory gave W&J a sweep of the regular season series with Grove City. The Red and Black won by a 79-76 score back on Jan. 15.

Okikiola Agbale, Alexander Skowron and Jacob Davenport were honored for their dedication and service to the program prior to the Senior Day contest.

Cal 90, Clarion 60: All five starters scored in double-digits, including sophomore Philip Alston recording his 12th 20-point game of the season, on Saturday afternoon, as California University cruised to a 90-60 victory over Clarion in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West play at the Convocation Center.

With the win, the Vulcans improve to 19-6 this season behind a 14-5 mark in conference action. The Vulcans have scored at least 90 points in seven games this season. Meanwhile, Clarion falls to 9-16 overall behind a 5-15 record in league play.

Alston posted his league-leading 14th double-double of the season with 23 points and 11 rebounds. He finished 11-of-13 from the field while collecting two assists and two blocks. Alston also surpassed the 500-point milestone this season, marking the first time since the 1991-96 campaigns in which the program has featured a 500-point scorer in consecutive seasons.

Junior Zyan Collins finished with 14 points on five-of-eight shooting from the floor and collected four assists in 23 minutes of action. Senior Preston Boswell registered 12 points and four assists, while classmate Brent Pegram tallied 11 points, seven rebounds and four assists on Saturday. Freshman Keith Palek III collected 11 points, nine rebounds and three assists in the victory.

Cal opened the contest by scoring seven-straight points before extending its lead with an 8-6 run to hold a 15-6 advantage at the 17:06-mark. The Vulcans then mounted an 11-8 run, including seven points from Alston, to hold a 26-14 lead. Clarion rallied by scoring seven of the next 12 points to trim the deficit to 31-21 with 7:09 remaining in the first half. After a jumper by Collins, Cal U scored six of the next eight points to stretch its lead to 39-23. The Vulcans ended the first half with a 6-3 run to lead 45-26 at the break.

Geneva 80, Waynesburg 67: It looked like the Waynesburg University men’s basketball team was going to have plenty to celebrate when it hosted Geneva for both teams’ regular season finale on Saturday. The Yellow Jackets raced out to an 11-2 lead, but it was the Golden Tornadoes who left town with an 80-67 win.

Three of the day’s four senior honorees combined to tally all 11 points of Waynesburg’s (13-12, 9-9) game-opening run. Guard Matt Popeck scored the contest’s first four points on back-to-back field goals, before Nijon Kirkman logged four points of his own to make the score 8-2. Guard Steven Eng connected on a three pointer to give his team the nine-point lead.

Women’s results

Cal 62, Clarion 42: The California University of Pennsylvania women’s basketball team held Clarion scoreless in the second quarter while rolling to a 62-42 victory in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West play on Saturday afternoon at the Convocation Center.

With the win, the Vulcans improve to 19-4 overall behind a 14-4 mark in league action. Cal also extended its winning streak to five-straight games, which is the longest active streak in the conference. Meanwhile, the Golden Eagles fall to 5-21 this season with a 4-17 record in conference play.

Junior Dejah Terrell recorded her 11th double-double of the season, finishing with game highs of 21 points and 14 rebounds. She shot 9-of-18 from the floor, including three-of-six from long range, while tallying three blocks and two assists in 36 minutes of action.

Teammate Ciaira Loyd finished with 13 points on five-of-eight from the floor and collected five assists and three steals. Fellow junior Shauna Harrison registered 12 points, five rebounds and two assists, while junior Brionna Allen tallied eight rebounds (four offensive) and two steals in the win.

W&J 69, Grove City 61: Senior guard Piper Morningstar scored a career-high 19 points to lead the Washington & Jefferson women’s basketball team to a 69-61 victory over visiting Grove City Saturday in a Presidents’ Athletic Conference game at Salvitti Family Gym.

The win was the eighth straight overall for the Presidents. W&J closes the regular season with a 20-4 mark overall and a 17-1 record in PAC play. W&J has reached 20 wins in 13 of 18 seasons during head coach Jina DeRubbo’s tenure. Grove City falls to 16-8 overall and 13-5 in PAC games. The Wolverines will be the No. 3 seed in the upcoming PAC Championship Tournament.

Sophomore center Sarah Berardelli and senior guard Kamryn Lach reached double figures with 11 points and 10 points, respectively. Freshman guard/forward Meghan Dryburgh finished with a team-high eight rebounds. Dryburgh has been the Presidents’ leading rebounder in 22 of 24 games this season.

Morningstar and Lach were joined by Aleena McDaniel, Tori Boalton and Taylor Brenner as W&J used an all-senior starting lineup on Senior Day.

Geneva 78, Waynesburg 73: The Waynesburg University women’s basketball team celebrated senior day prior to Saturday’s regular season finale against Geneva at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse. The two Presidents’ Athletic Conference opponents put on an entertaining show for the gathered crowd and by the time the final horn had sounded, the Golden Tornadoes had a 78-73 win.

The game was ultimately decided in the third quarter. With the two teams tied 19-19 at the end of the first, Waynesburg (5-19, 5-13) used a 10-0 run to turn a 28-25 deficit into a 35-28 advantage with 2:35 remaining until halftime. Geneva (9-13, 8-9) was able to narrow the gap with the host squad over the final minutes of the quarter, but the Jackets still led 37-34 at the break.

The game’s final result was ultimately decided during a 15-2 Golden Tornado surge that put the visitors ahead 52-41 with just under six minutes remaining in the third. Geneva led by as many as 12 before the quarter came to an end. When it did, Waynesburg found itself in a 62-52 hole.