CHESTER, Pa. (Dec. 10, 2016) – Junior captain Nikki Petri (Congers, N.Y.) exploded to score a career-high 23 points off the bench in leading the Widener University women's basketball team to a 78-75 victory over Lycoming in Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth play on Saturday afternoon at the Schwartz Center.
 
After recovering from a slow start, Widener led 51-35 at the break and remained ahead by twin figures throughout the third quarter. Junior Brianna Cullen (Lansdale, Pa.) opened the scoring in the frame for the Pride before freshman Madison Ireland (Garnet Valley, Pa.) extended the lead up to 18 at 61-43 by sinking a layup with 4:16 left. Senior Aly Furgiuele (Norwalk, Conn.) then grabbed an offensive rebound and found the red-hot Petri for a buzzer-beating jumper to close out the frame.
 
Despite trailing 67-49 through 30 minutes of action, the Warriors came back and slashed the lead to single digits when Nicole Calella drove in for a layup to make it 73-64 with 3:54 remaining in regulation. The visitors sliced the deficit all the way down to three when Calella found Shelby Mueller for a bucket, but Widener was able to hold off the rally attempt by sinking four shots at the line in the final minute. A 3-point attempt to tie the game and force overtime by Kayla Kline was no good, and the Pride were able to hang on to earn their first conference win.
 
Widener was paced by Petri, who netted a career-high 23 points by shooting 8-of-11 from the field, including 5-of-7 from beyond the arc, and a perfect 2-of-2 at the line in 28 minutes of action. She also smashed her previous scoring mark of 12 points, which occurred against the same opponent last season, and had 14 at the break by most notably sinking all four of her 3-point field goal attempts. Ireland came just shy of posting a double-double by racking up 16 points and eight rebounds, while freshman Devan Rimmer (Perkasie, Pa.) recorded 15 points to go along with four assists and three steals.
 
Mueller registered a double-double with 16 points and 13 boards to lead the way for Lycoming (6-3, MAC Commonwealth 1-2), which shot just 14-of-30 from the charity stripe in the game and missed 14 free throws in the second half alone. Haley Sipple added 15 points and nine rebounds, while Kline finished with 14 points and dished out three assists.
 
Widener (3-5, MAC Commonwealth 1-3) will next host Rowan in what will be the team's final home game of the calendar year on Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 7 p.m.