Bison down Chatham, 83-78

Steve Janik, Assistant Sports Information Director

BETHANY, W.Va. (Jan. 18) - The Bethany College women's basketball team defeated Chatham 83-78 in a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) matchup on Wednesday night. 

The Bison improve to 8-8 overall, 6-3 in the PAC. Meanwhile, Chatham falls to 4-5 in league play, 9-6 overall.

Heading into the final quarter of action, Bethany held a 64-63 lead. The Bison used a 13-3 run, highlighted by seven points from junior forward Kelsea Daugherty (Newport, Ohio/Frontier), to open the fourth and increase their lead to 77-66 with 6:02 remaining in the game. Over the next four minutes, the Cougars fought their way back with 10-unanswered points to slice the Bethany lead to one, 77-76, with just over two minutes to play. Back-to-back baskets from Daugherty helped ice the game for the Bison and deliver a fifth win in six games.

Daugherty led Bethany with a double-double with 26 points and 12 rebounds, while senior guard Hayley Holenka (Shadyside, Ohio/Shadyside) added 21 points and six rebounds. Sophomore guard Sammie Weiss (Avella, Pa./McGuffey) also tallied a double-double of 10 points and 10 boards, while junior forward Kelsi Settle (Sebring, Ohio/Sebring) scored in double figures, dropping 11 points.

The two teams jumped out the of the gate in a neck-and-neck scoring battle. At the 6:05 mark in the first quarter, Settle hit a layup to give the Bison the 7-11 lead. the hosts held the lead for most of the opening quarter until in the final minute. Bethany led 26-25 before a Cougar layup gave them the lead before Holenka hit a layup at the buzzer to take the 27-26 lead.

The visitors started the second quarter hot on a 11-4 run through three minutes of play to take the 39-30 lead. In the next three minutes, Bethany climbed back within two after a Holenka trey made it 41-39 Chatham. The Cougars played into the half with a 51-46 lead.

Early in the third, Chatham increased their lead to seven before The Green and White started to storm back and eventually take the 58-56 lead at the 4:04 mark before heading into the final quarter with the one point advantage.

The Bison are back in action on Saturday, January 21 when they travel to face Waynesburg at 1:30 p.m.