Women's Basketball | 1/21/2016 9:07:00 PM
Box Score WHEELING, W.Va. – The Wheeling Jesuit women's basketball team fell to rival West Liberty University, 69-64, Thursday night in the Alma Grace McDonough Center. The Cardinals managed to win the first, second, and fourth quarters of play for a combined score of 55-48, but dropped the third period by a score of 21-9, leading to the five-point loss.
"It was a great ball game from start to finish. We outscored West Liberty in three of the four quarters," head coach Debbie Buff stated. "We were able to get out and running in the first half which helped us take a six-point advantage into halftime."
"Our shot selection in the third quarter was not the best, and West Liberty was able to get their transition game going. Kierra Simspon played like a seasoned veteran for them. For us, Jaila, Mariah and Kylie led our offensive effort. I am proud of our effort and energy, and we now have to focus on a good Urbana team."
WJU (14-3, 9-2 Mountain East Conference) opened the game on an 8-2 run, and led by seven with a minute left in the period. West Liberty (16-1, 12-0) scored the last five points of the period, and trailed WJU by just two points heading into the second quarter.
The largest Cardinal lead of the night came with 2:09 remaining in the second, when Mariah Callen scored four points in a seven second span, giving the Cardinals a 35-25 lead. WJU took a six-point lead into the half.
The Hilltoppers erased the six-point Cardinal lead early in the third, as they began the quarter on an 11-2 run. WJU cut into the lead off a pair of Jaila Bryant free throws and a jumper by Jaana Motton, and trailed by just six heading into the final 10 minutes.
The Hilltoppers largest lead of the game came early in the fourth quarter, when Kierra Simpson converted a free throw to stretch the Hilltopper lead to 12.
West Liberty held a 62-51 advantage with 4:11 remaining before Wheeling Jesuit made its late run.
A pair of free throws by Bryant and Kylie Frizell less than 30 seconds apart apart shrunk the Hilltopper lead to seven. Chenelle Moore knocked in a layup as the clock read 1:51 to reduce the West Liberty lead to four.
Bryant cut the lead to two, 66-64, with a jumper with 40 seconds remaining. The Hilltoppers made three free throws in the final 13 seconds to secure their five-point victory.
Jaila Bryant led the Cardinal offense with 20 points and seven rebounds. Callen and Frizell each contributed 11 points. Callen secured six boards, while Frizell pulled in five.
Jaana Motton scored nine points and tallied six rebounds, while Chenelle Moore added eight points and seven rebounds.
The Cardinals travel to Urbana University on Saturday for a 2 p.m. contest.
