Women’s Basketball Defeats Elizabethtown, 75-69, For Berth In Semifinals

(box score)

The first half of the game had Elizabethtown in command, but Widener came back strong in the second half for a 75-69 in tonight's Commonwealth Conference game at Thompson Gymnasium for a berth into the semifinals of the conference tournament.

Elizabethtown (11-10, 8-7 CC) scored the first four points of the game by the time three minutes had expired on layups from Taylor Kreider, who closed with 18 points. Sophomore Ally Ferrucci (Vineland, NJ) served a pass to Francesca Lee (Hainesport, NJ), who scored two in the paint to put the Pride on the board. About 10 seconds apart, Kreider and Ferrucci each made a layup for their respective team and with 15 minutes remaining in the first half senior Lil Carney (Narberth, PA) sank two free throws to tie the game up for the first time.

Midway through the first half Widener held a five point lead after Jennifer Egee (Ridley Park, PA) sank a 3-pointer to put her one away from tying the single-season school record of 56, with the assist going to junior Joanna Persiano (Absecon, NJ). The game went on with Widener in the lead until with three minutes remaining in the first when Blue Jay leading scorer Kendra Beittel hit a 3-pointer to bring the score to 27-27. Senior Kate Dellinger (Wrightsville, PA) made two shots for the Pride and Beittel made a field goal and another 3-pointer to send the game into halftime with a score of 34-31, in favor of the Blue Jays.

Elizabethtown came back from the break first to score again, but Lee, Carney and Egee jumpstarted the scoring for the Pride to tie the game at 36-36 after four minutes of second half play. With 15 minutes remaining, Widener was behind by just one point after Nadine Yunginger, who led Elizabethtown with five assists, fed a pass to Beittel, who hit a 3-pointer. The game went back and forth for the next few minutes, until Widener (18-4, 13-2) separated itself by a margin of 10 points after Dellinger hit a 3-pointer with 10 minutes left.

With under five minutes left, Elizabethtown brought itself back within striking distance after Kreider made two shots and Alyssa Aichelle made one to make the score 65-61 Widener. With just one minute to go, Kreider made another layup but it was cancelled out by Egee sinking two free throws. Beittel made the final shot for the Blue Jays with 30 seconds remaining and Carney made four consecutive free throws in the final minute for the final.

Dellinger scored 12 points, shooting 5-for-9 in field goals, to go with 11 rebounds which put her fourth in school history with 674 career rebounds. Persiano led the Pride with 14 points, stemming from four 3-pointers. Egee added 13 points for Widener, making 5-of-12 field goals and shooting 2-for-2 at the line. Carney scored 12 points, shooting 9-for-10 at the line and sinking one 3-pointer to go with six assists and nine rebounds. Ferrucci served up six assists and shot 2-for-2 from the line. As a team, Widener shot 40 percent in field goals, 39 percent for 3-pointers, 74 percent from the line and had 11 steals.

With just three regular-season games remaining, Widener travels to Reading, PA this Saturday to take on Alvernia in another conference doubleheader beginning at 1:00 pm, with the men facing off afterwards at approximately 3:00 pm.

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