CHESTER, Pa. (Jan. 20, 2016) – Senior captain Ally Ferrucci (Vineland, N.J.) broke the school record for career assists in leading the Widener University women's basketball team to a 69-58 triumph over Arcadia on Wednesday evening at the Schwartz Center.
 
Ferrucci, who set the single-season school record for assists when the Pride defeated the Knights in the regular season finale at the Schwartz Center last season, set up Brianna Cullen to give the hosts an 8-6 advantage and a lead they would never relinquish. Sophomore Allison Gallagher (Souderton, Pa.) closed out the scoring to give Widener a 15-13 edge at the end of the first quarter.
 
The Pride then broke the game open in the second by embarking on a 16-3 run. Five different players to net seven field goals during the stretch, which was capped by a Ferrucci layup in transition. Ferrucci assisted on a bucket by senior Brianna Wylie to help the hosts take a 36-22 advantage into the break.
 
Arcadia (7-10, MAC Commonwealth 2-6), which got a buzzer-beating layup from Olivia Roseman to end the first half, attempted to rally and outscored the Pride by a count of 20-14 in the third frame. A trey by Roseman brought the deficit down to single digits at 37-29, and the freshman closed the gap to as little as six with under a minute remaining in the third.
 
A pair of 3-pointers by Roseman and Susan Bossler helped slice the lead down to three with 6:58 left, but the Pride responded by going on an 11-1 run to take a double-digit advantage for the remainder of the game. Wylie converted a layup to make it 64-51 at the 2:42 mark before Ferrucci and senior Nikki Sutliff (Sweet Valley, Pa.) converted free throws down the stretch.
 
Ferruci finished the game with 17 points, seven rebounds and six assists to go along with two steals and one block for Widener. She eclipsed the previous program standard of 480 career assists, which was established by Lil Carney in 2013, and now has 481 entering the stretch run of conference play. Wylie registered a double-double with 12 points and 12 boards, while Gallagher contributed 14 points off the bench.
 
Arcadia was paced by Addy Crenny, who finished the game with 15 points and six rebounds in the losing effort. Roseman netted 14 and dished out three assists.
 
Widener (11-6, MAC Commonwealth 4-4) will look for its first season sweep of a conference opponent when it visits Alvernia on Saturday, Jan. 23 at 1:00 p.m.