CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. - The Westminster College women's basketball team lost to Thomas More, 59-50, in the championship game of the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Tournament Saturday at the Thomas More College Connor Convocation. This is the third time this season the Titans have lost to the Saints.
The Titans (22-6) never led during the game as the Saints (22-4) jumped to a 16-6 lead 9:30 into the contest before holding a 29-18 halftime advantage. After trailing by as many as 12 points (46-34 with 8:18 to go), Westminster made a late run to cut the lead to four points (54-50 at 1:04) capped off by senior guard Desiree Sterling (Newton Falls, Ohio/Newton Falls) nailing a 3-pointer. The Titans failed to score on their last three possessions while Thomas More made 5 of 6 free throws down the stretch.
Junior guard/forward Emilee Ackerman (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) led the Titans with 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the floor, while Sterling and freshman center Rachel Martinko (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) bucketed 13 and 12 points, respectively.
Megan Wood led the Saints with 16 points, followed by Kristen Humphrey with 14 points and 10 rebounds and Brooke Warner with 13 points and 11 rebounds. The Saints held a 36-26 rebound advantage on the Titans.
Westminster shot 36.7 percent (18-49) from the floor while Thomas More was 46.7 percent (21-45).
The Titans will await a postseason berth in either the NCAA or ECAC Division III South tournaments. The NCAA pairings will be announced Monday, ensued by ECAC bids. The ECAC tournament will take place next weekend at a selected campus site.
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.
