The Westminster women's basketball team won their fifth consecutive game with a 65-55 victory over Principia College on Tuesday evening. The win brings the Westminster Blue Jays to 11-4 on the season and 7-2 in conference.
The Blue Jays and the Principia Panthers battled for the lead to start the game, tying up the game three times four minutes in. The Panthers closed out the first quarter with a 7-3 run to take a 15-11 lead.
Junior Payton Gruber hit a three-pointer three seconds into the second quarter, followed by a jump shot by junior Krista Armontrout to take the 16-15 lead. The Panthers took back the lead with a three, but the Blue Jays knotted up the game four more times. With 1:10 remaining in the half, sophomore Payton Beeler laid in a basket to bring the Blue Jays within two points, 28-26. Senior Kasey Gatson made the final basket of the half to send the Blue Jays into halftime with a one point lead, 29-28.
Junior Andrea Zalis made two three-pointers to start the second half, and a three-pointer by Gatson four minutes into the quarter gave the Blue Jays a six-point lead. A layup by sophomore Brittany Morris with 4:00 on the clock gave the Blue Jays a 10-point cushion, 46-36. Senior Mackenzie Haddox laid in a bucket to take the 48-36 lead, and Gatson scored the final points of the third quarter to head into the final quarter with the 51-39 lead.
Despite the Blue Jays scoring first in the final quarter on a fast break, the Panthers scored the next eight points to bring the game within six points, 53-47. Gatson and Haddox each made a basket to extend their lead back to 10. The Blue Jays maintained a 10-point lead and free throws from Gatson and Haddox in the final 30 seconds gave the Blue Jays the 65-55 win.
Gatson finished with a double-double, scoring 21 points and pulling down 10 boards. She went 4-for-7 from the three-point line. Zalis added 14 points to the win after going 6-for-11 from the field.
The Blue Jays host Spalding University on Saturday, January 23, for the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) Game of the Week. Tip-off is at 1:00 pm.
