NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - The Westminster College women's basketball team absorbed a heartbreaking 58-57 loss against visiting Thomas More Saturday in Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) action at Buzz Ridl Gymnasium.
The Titans (8-4, 1-1 PAC) saw an 18-point, second lead and a four-game winning streak erased after the Saints (10-2, 1-0 PAC) finished the game on a 28-9 run.
Jenna Kelsch scored her only points of the game for Thomas More with a 3-pointer that tied the game, 57-57, with 27 seconds remaining. Gabby Johnson then induced a Titan turnover and was fouled with six seconds on the clock. Johnson hit one of her free throws before Westminster turned the ball over again on its final possession.
Westminster's three top scorers were from its bench as senior guards Desiree Sterling (Newton Falls, Ohio/Newton Falls) and Nicole Fee (New Castle, Pa./Neshannock) each scored 11 points, while freshman center Rachel Martinko (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) bucketed 10 points.
Junior forward Terese Marszalek (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway) led the Titans with seven rebounds to go with eight points.
Brooke Warner paced the Saints with 15 points while Megan Wood scored 12. Both players led Thomas More with six rebounds apiece.
Westminster took a 13-point lead after going on a 24-7 run in the first half capped off by a Sterling 3-pointer with 1:46 remaining in the first half that gave the Titans a 30-17 lead. Fee would give the Titans their largest lead of the game at 18 points (48-30) with 12:22 left in the game before the Saints went on their 28-9 run.
The Saints shot 44.9 percent (22-49) from the field while the Titans were 41.4 percent (24-58) from the floor.
Westminster returns to action at Saint Vincent Wednesday, Jan. 10, at 6 p.m.
Founded in 1852 and related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Westminster College is ranked among national leaders in graduation rate performance, according to U.S. News Guide to America's Best Colleges, and is one of the most affordable national liberal arts colleges in Pennsylvania. Westminster is also honored as one of "The Best 361 Colleges" and "Best in the Northeast" by The Princeton Review, and was recognized by the Templeton Guide as a "Character Building College."
Nearly 1,600 students benefit from individualized attention from dedicated faculty, while choosing from 41 majors and nearly 100 organizations on the New Wilmington, Pa. campus.
