MIDDLETOWN, CT – The Williams women's basketball team defeated the Wesleyan Cardinals (8-4, 1-2 NESCAC) 65-51 tonight. The two teams met earlier this year at Williams. The Ephs (14-1, 2-1 NESCAC) won 69-55, but that game did not count towards league play.
With just under eight minutes to play in the first half, Wesleyan took a four-point lead - its largest of the game - behind a jumper from Eileen Gaffney.
Jill Greenberg responded for the Ephs with a pretty jump shot of her own to make it 18-16.
When Lisa Jaris got an offensive rebound to keep the play alive a couple possessions later, Grace Rehnquist finished with a lay-up to tie up the game and force Wesleyan's first timeout.
The Ephs and Cardinals traded hoops for several minutes before the Ephs control to end the half. With the Cardinals up 23-21, Greenberg made a lay-up with 2:56 on the clock. She was fouled on the play and made the resulting free throw.
Just over a minute later, Jennie Harding knocked down a huge long ball for the Ephs to push their lead to four. Jaris then went one-for-two from the line to cap off the Ephs' 7-0 run to end the half. They entered the locker room with the 28-23 lead.
Out of the break, the Ephs continued to add to the momentum they gained at the end of the half. They were led by a lay-up apiece from
Danny Rainer,
Claire Baecher and Greenberg. With just under 15 minutes to play, they pushed their lead to double digits off of another Greenberg lay-up. Greenberg stole the ball and finished the fast-break hoop to give the Ephs the 37-26 lead.
The Ephs continued to add to their lead for the rest of the game – pushing it to as many as 19 before the game was out.
Wesleyan did make a run to end the half by cutting the Ephs' lead to 12 with three minutes on the clock. The Ephs responded with poise, however, with lay-ups from Baecher and Jaris.
Leading the way tonight for the Cardinals was Gaffney with 11. As a team, the Cardinals shot 26.9% from the floor.
Greenberg led the way for the Ephs with 19 points. Baecher had a double double with 16 points and 14 rebounds. The Ephs shot 43.5% from the field.
Said Coach Manning after the game about her point guard, "Jill Greenberg played an incredible game. She really ran the show and made great decisions on both ends of the floor."
She added, "Our post – Lisa, Claire, Danny – showed great poise. They played a much more physical, tougher second half. That really helped us."
Finally, she commented, "Wesleyan's a very good team, and they come after you. It was a battle. I'm really happy with how we responded, especially in the second half."
The Ephs return to the court tomorrow at Connecticut College. Tip-off is 2 PM.
