Box Score Johnstown, Pa.---The Wheeling Jesuit women's basketball team evened their overall record to 3-3 and improved to 1-2 in West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play after defeating the University of Pitt-Johnstown (3-4, 1-4) on the road Saturday afternoon, 72-69.
 
“It was a great team effort for our first conference win,” said Head Coach Debbie Buff. “Our team chemistry is improving everyday, and our young team is learning how to battle through other team's runs and recovering.”
 
The Cardinals used an 11-0 run at the beginning of the game, establishing a 17-9 advantage by the 14:22 mark. Jesuit's offense continued to find the bottom of the net, extending the lead to as many as 17 points, 44-27, before closing the first half with a 46-34 halftime lead.
 
In the second half, WJU's lead diminished as the Mountain Cats cut the Cardinal lead to five, 57-52, at 10:32, and UPJ controlled the scoreboard two minutes later, 58-57. The home squad held the advantage for three minutes, leading by as many as three points, 62-59.
 
A pair of free throws by WJU's Taylor Lubinsky coupled with two long range jumpers by Breanna Butler and an Alex Anderson lay-in lifted the Cardinals to a 69-67 advantage with 1:55 left in regulation. Jamie Sobczak finished the scoring with three free throws, and WJU was ahead 72-69 when the buzzer sounded.
 
Sobczak led the Cardinals with 25 points, shooting 9-for-18 from the floor and 6-for-7 from the charity stripe. She supported the Cardinals' 40-36 advantage on the glass with eight rebounds, while Anderson registered a double-double led with 12 points and a team-high 11 boards.
 
Taneka Lewis added 11 points, while Butler and Lubinsky chipped in nine and seven, respectively. Emily Robinson and Kelsey Pacholke rounded out the scoring with six and two.
 
Wheeling Jesuit will be back in action on Wednesday, Dec. 19 at the Alma Grace McDonough Center against Shepherd University. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.