NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. – The Westminster College women's basketball team lost, 69-67, to Thiel College in both teams' Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) opener at home on Wednesday.
 
Sophomore Jackie Mathews (Pittsburgh, PA / OLSH) led the Titan offense with a career-high 15 points, while tying a game-high with four three-pointers. First-year Emily Fromknecht (Erie, PA / McDowell) (14), junior Kristine Fromknecht (Erie, PA / McDowell) (12), and senior Rachel Durbin (Lowellville, OH / Lowellville) (10) also scored in double-digits. Emily Fromknecht led Westminster on the glass with seven rebounds, followed by Durbin with six. Mathews and first-year Aliya Gage (New Castle, PA / Mohawk) each had a team-high three assists.
 
Thiel (3-3, 1-0 PAC) outshot Westminster (3-2, 0-1 PAC) 39.2% (20-51) to 32.8% (20-61) and held a 44-35 advantage in rebounds.
 
The Tomcats led 12-3 with 5:40 remaining in the first quarter and had its largest lead of the quarter (26-11) with 44 seconds remaining. The Tomcats maintained their double-digit lead for the remainder of the half and led by as much as 17 points twice, with the latest coming with 5:05 left in the second (37-20). Thiel led 39-27 at halftime. In the second half, Thiel led 61-51 with 4:11 remaining in the game. Westminster, however, orchestrated an 8-2 run, which was capped off with a three-pointer by Mathews, to cut Thiel's lead to 63-59 with 1:01 on the clock. Westminster got as close as one-point of the Tomcats' lead (68-67) when Mathews made another three with nine seconds remaining. With three seconds on the clock, Thiel split a pair of free throws. Westminster grabbed the defensive rebound, but the potential game-winning Titan three-pointer at the buzzer came up short.
 
Westminster is back on the court Saturday, December 3 at home against Chatham University. Tip off is set for 1:30 p.m.