WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. (Feb. 10) – The Hilltoppers dropped 15 three pointers on the Cardinals in a 92-65 loss Wednesday evening inside the ASRC.
 
The Wheeling University women's basketball team falls to 5-6 overall, while West Liberty matches them at 5-6 this season.
 
Junior forward Lilly Ritz (Cambridge, Ohio/Cambridge) finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds in defeat. She also tallied three blocks.
 
Sophomore guard Maura Castelluci (Bridgeville, Pa./South Fayette) finished with 14 points, while classmate Emily Holzopfel (Rayland, Ohio/Buckeye Local) posted 12 points.
 
The Cardinal offense was efficient early on, but four West Liberty three pointers allowed the Hilltoppers to hold a 20-12 advantage with 4:19 to play in the first quarter. West Liberty eventually took a 24-16 lead into the second period.
 
The Cardinals managed to draw within six, 29-23, with 8:14 remaining in the first half. West Liberty went on to out-score Wheeling 15-4 over the next eight minutes to take a 44-27 lead into the locker rooms.  
 
Wheeling had its best defensive quarter of the game in the third, but were unable to make up much ground. Despite limiting West Liberty to 5-of-18 (28 percent) shooting in the period, Wheeling only managed to convert 5-of-16 (31 percent) on its end of the court.
 
The Hilltoppers led by double figures throughout the second half on their way to the win.
 
West Liberty finished the evening shooting 31-of-61 (51 percent), including 15-of-29 (52 percent) from long range.
 
Four Hilltoppers scored in double figures, led by a game-high 26 points from Olivia Belknap. Grace Faulk finished with 18 points and made all six of her three-point attempts.
 
The Cardinals will look to get back on track on Saturday, February 13 when they travel to take on Fairmont State at 2 p.m.