Daugherty posts career-high in 76-69 win at Waynesburg

Steve Janik, Assistant Sports Information Director

WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Jan. 21) - The Bethany College women's basketball team pulled away in the fourth quarter to defeat Waynesburg 76-69 in a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) matchup on Saturday afternoon.

With the win, the Bison improve to 9-8 overall, 7-3 in the PAC. Meanwhile the Yellow Jackets fall to 6-4 in league play, 10-7 overall. The win marked the first-time Bethany defeated Waynesburg since the 2010-11 season.

The Bison headed into the final quarter with the 55-54 advantage, a lead which they would not surrender in the final 10 minutes. After an Ashley Duthie (Madison, Ohio/Madison) layup to start the quarter, the Bison increased their lead to six at 64-58 after consecutive layups from junior forward Kelsea Daugherty (Newport, Ohio/Frontier) and sophomore guard Sammie Weiss (Avella, Pa./McGuffey). Down to the 3:13 mark, Daugherty hit a layup and converted a foul shot to extend the Bison lead to eight at 69-61. The Yellow Jackets climbed back within five but could not overcome the Bison in the closing minutes.

Daugherty recorded her 10th double-double of the season with a career-high 34 points and 13 rebounds. Weiss tied her season-high with 23 points, while senior guard Hayley Holenka (Shadyside, Ohio/Shadyside) added 11 points and eight boards.

The first quarter was neck-and-neck between the Yellow Jackets and Bison. Down to the 3:51 mark, the hosts hit a foul shot to take the 12-6 lead. In the next minute, the Bison put up seven unanswered points, capped off by a Weiss layup and-one, giving Bethany the 13-12 lead. After Waynesburg regained the advantage, Weiss hit a trey at the buzzer of the opening quarter to tie the game at 18 apiece. 

Holenka scored the next eight points for the Bison as they regained the at 26-22 lead early in the second quarter and maintained it for several minutes before the break. The hosts took the 32-30 lead before a Daugherty jumper tied it at 32 with just under a minute left. Another Jacket basket gave them the 34-32 lead into the locker room. 

The hosts came out of the break hot, working their lead to nine at 47-38 with about five minutes to play in the third. Over the next four minutes, the Bison used a 14-4 run to regain the edge.

After Bethany converted a pair of foul shots, Abby McDonald (Uniontown, Pa./Laurel Highlands) hit a trey to draw within four at 47-43. Then at the 2:48 mark of the third quarter, the hosts led 49-46 until Weiss converted another basket and-one to tie it at 49. Less than a minute later after Waynesburg took the 51-49 lead, Weiss was fouled again before dropping a layup. Her free throw gave the Bison the 52-51 lead, their first advantage since the 2:11 mark of the first half. The Bison rolled into the final quarter with the 55-54 lead. 

Next up, Bethany hosts Geneva at home on Wednesday, January 25 at 6 p.m.