PHILLIPI, W.Va. (Feb. 24) – Despite erasing a 16-point fourth quarter deficit, the Cardinals came up short in a 71-69 loss at Alderson Broaddus Wednesday night.
 
The loss sends the Wheeling University women's basketball team to 7-8 overall, while the Battlers improve to 5-9 on the season.
 
Junior Lilly Ritz (Cambridge, Ohio/Cambridge) continued to add to her impressive resume this season with 24 points and 17 rebounds. She also added three blocks and two steals. Ritz entered the week ranked third in Division II with 23.6 points per game, while leading the nation with 17.4 rebounds per game. Ritz also ranks 15^th with a 57.4 field-goal percentage and 2.29 blocked shots per game in Division II.
 
Sophomore Lauren Calhoun (Ravenna, Ohio/Ravenna) turned in a career-high 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting with six rebounds.
 
The two teams traded the lead multiple times in the first 10 minutes, with the Battlers taking a 21-18 edge into the second stanza.
 
Wheeling took a 27-24 lead on a basket-and-one by Ritz with 5:14 left in the first half, but Alderson Broaddus closed the half by out-scoring the Cardinals 13-6 to send the visitors into the locker rooms trailing 37-33.
 
The Batters went on a tear in the third quarter. Alderson Broaddus made 10-of-20 field goals, including five three pointers, to establish a 64-48 lead through three quarters.
 
Wheeling responded with a 19-3 run, including a game-tying three pointer by sophomore Emily Holzopfel (Rayland, Ohio/Buckeye Local), to take a 67-66 lead with 3:12 to play in the game.
 
The Cardinals were in front 69-68 with 2:17 remaining on the clock. Both teams traded empty possessions, before the Battlers got a basket with 10 seconds on the clock to take the lead. Wheeling turned the ball over on the ensuing possession and a split at the free-throw line by AB put the Cardinals down 71-69. Ritz took the ball and attempted a desperation heave at the horn that did not fall, allowing the Battlers to pull out the upset win. 
 
Led by Ritz, the Cardinals held a 47 to 38 edge on the glass, but three-point shooting limited the Wheeling offense. The Cardinals converted just 1-of-13 from long range, compared to the 8-of-26 made by the Battlers.
 
Both Iyahnna Williams and Madeline Moyer finished with 16 points to lead Alderson Broaddus.
 
The Cardinals will wrap-up the regular-season on Saturday, February 27 when they take on Ohio County-rival West Liberty at 2 p.m.