WHEELING, W.Va. (Dec. 5) – Despite a career-high 25 rebounds by senior forward Chenelle Moore (Westerville, Ohio/Westerville South), the Wheeling Jesuit University women's basketball team was bested 64-59 by Fairmont State in a Mountain East Conference (MEC) clash on Wednesday evening at the McDonough Center.
 
WJU drops to 3-6 overall and 1-4 in the MEC with the loss. FSU improves to 3-5 overall and 2-3 in conference action with the win.
 
Moore set a new career-high with 25 rebounds (14 offensive), while posting a game-leading 24 points for her sixth double-double of the season.

Freshman guard Kelsi Chapman (New Martinsville, W.Va./Magnolia) knocked down three shots from beyond the arc and converted two free throws to finish with 11 points on the night. 
 
The Cardinals and Falcons went toe-to-toe with each other in the first quarter. The lead changed twice and the score was tied three times. Sophomore guard Tori Harrison (Centerville, Ohio/Centerville) made a layup with one minute left in the quarter to put Wheeling Jesuit ahead 18-15.
 
The Cardinals grabbed a five-point advantage, 21-16, early in the second quarter when freshman guard Allie Taylor (Parkersburg, W.Va./Parkersburg South) drained a three pointer. The Falcons battled back to tie the game at 27-27 with 5:48 remaining in the first half after FSU's Erin Danik converted a pair of free throws. Wheeling Jesuit responded by scoring 10-unanswered points to go into halftime up 37-27.
 
Fairmont State hit three treys in the opening two minutes of the third quarter to get back within three points, 39-36, of Wheeling Jesuit. The teams proceeded to trade baskets for the remainder of the quarter and headed into the final period with the Cardinals holding a narrow 51-49 lead.
 
After Fairmont State tied the game up in the opening minute, a defensive struggle ensued with each team scoring eight points to go into the final minute of the game with the Cardinals leading 59-57. Falcon guard Sierra Kotchman seized the lead for Fairmont State on a three pointer with 54 seconds left in the game. Fairmont State held the Cardinals off of the scoreboard in the final minute and knocked down a trio of free throws to secure the win.
 
The Falcons were ultimately able to beat the Cardinals by limiting WJU to 8-of-28 (28.6 percent) from the field, while shooting 12-of-25 (48 percent) on their end.

Sierra Kotchman led Fairmont State with 22 points and five three pointers.
 
Wheeling Jesuit heads to Shepherdstown, West Virginia next for an MEC contest with Shepherd on Saturday, December 8. Tip is set for 2 p.m.