The Westminster women's basketball team dropped the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) Game of the Week to the Iowa Wesleyan Tigers in overtime, 70-67. The two teams entered the match-up undefeated in conference play, but the Westminster Blue Jays leave with a 2-1 conference mark. They are currently 4-3 on the season.
"We knew coming in that this was going to be a battle," exclaimed Head Coach Tracey Braden. "I'm proud of our team- their effort and their resiliency. We had energy from the bench and players ready to do something positive. That is so important as we move forward with our season."
With an extremely slow start, the Blue Jays led the Tigers by two after 10 minutes of play, 10-8 and the second quarter started in the same fashion as the first. Junior Krista Armontrout scored the first basket of the quarter with a layup two minutes in, but neither team scored again until five minutes left in the half. A three-pointer by senior Kasey Gatson gave the Blue Jays a seven-point lead but the Tigers hit a 6-0 run to close out the half. The Blue Jays held a one point lead, 17-16, with 20 minutes to play in the conference match-up.
The Tigers hit a three to start the second half and take a two-point lead. Senior Sadie Theroff took the lead back with a three-pointer, but the Tigers knotted up the game twice before striking a 16-2 run to close out the third quarter with the 38-27 lead.
Iowa Wesleyan increased their lead to 15 points less than a minute into the final quarter, and with 6:59 to play in regulation, the Tigers possessed a 14-point lead, 51-37. Junior Andrea Zalis was fouled on the way up after a steal, starting a 7-0 run to bring the Blue Jays within seven, 51-44. The Tigers halted the run with a good three-pointer, but as Armontrout was fouled on the way up, the Tigers received a technical. Zalis made the two free foul shots, and Armontrout sank both hers. Theroff followed up with a good three-pointer to finish the 9-0 run and bring the Blue Jays within one with 1:57 to play. Gatson hit a jumper to take the lead, but with 14 seconds remaining in the game, the Tigers hit a three to go up by one, 57-56. Armontrout was fouled with 10 seconds to play, but she went 1-2 from the foul line to knot up the game. The Tigers grabbed the rebound, but were unable to get a shot off, sending the game into overtime.
The Tigers scored six points in the first 1:36 of the overtime. A three-pointer by Gatson brought the Blue Jays within one with 1:25 to play, 65-64. Neither team scored again until the Tigers drained a three with 17 seconds to play. Zalis answered back with a three of her own to bring the game back within one, but the Tigers scored both free throws to go back up by three with 11 seconds on the clock. The Blue Jays had a small opportunity to tie the game up, but the three was missed, ending the game with a Tigers' 70-67 win.
"We have to become a better rebounding team moving forward," commented Coach Braden. The Blue Jays were outrebounded 44-37.
Zalis went 8-13 from the field with four three-pointers to lead the Blue Jays with 26 points. Armontrout recorded a double-double with 12 rebounds and 10 points while leading the Blue Jays with six assists.
The Blue Jays travel to St. Petersburg, Florida for their winter break trip on December 18. They play Wesley in day one of the St. Pete's Classic on December 18. On December 19, they face Neumann.
