Box Score

WILKES-BARRE – Whitney Connolly (Liberty, PA/Liberty)'s three-pointer with 1:08 left to play in a tied game helped the Wilkes women's basketball team grab its second victory of the season Monday night. The three gave the Lady Colonels a 59-56 advantage that they retained for the remainder of the game.

The first half saw the two teams battle back and forth for an extended period of time, with Wilkes holding a slight advantage for nearly the entire period. Halfway through the half Wilkes held a one point lead, but a three-pointer by Angela Palmerio (Telford, PA/Lansdale Catholic) sparked a 14-6 run by the Lady Colonels. Free throws and a layup by Brittany Ely (Montrose/Montrose), coupled with free throws and a three-pointer by Amanda Pawlowski (Nanticoke, PA/Holy Redeemer) gave Wilkes a 32-23 lead with 3:24 left in the half.

A late free throw shot by Sam Lynam (Spinnerstown/Quakertown) kept the lead at nine points, as Wilkes went into the break with a 35-26 advantage. Lynam was the star of the half, scoring 10 points and pulling down four rebounds. Pawlowski added seven points while Palmerio had six points on two three-pointers in the period. Wilkes also shot 48 percent from the field, while holding the Defenders to just 32 percent.

The second half showed that Baptist Bible wasn't through for the evening, slowly climbing back into the game with help from freshman guard Ruth Butts who finished the game with 26 points. After being fouled on a shot from behind the arc, Butts hit three free-throws to tie the contest at 42 with 11:36 left to play.

The Defenders continued to roll, scoring eight more points in a row, six of which came from Butts in the form of three-pointers. But Wilkes wasn't finished, as more free throws from Pawlowski, baskets by Megan Kazmerski (Kingston, PA/Holy Redeemer), and multiple layups from Connolly eventually grabbed the lead back for the Lady Colonels.

With 1:19 left to play the two teams found themselves knotted at 56 apiece when Pawlowski found Connolly behind the arc, and the Junior nailed a crucial three-pointer from the left wing. Wilkes hit its free throws down the stretch to seal the 62-59 victory.

Wilkes had four players in double figures scoring with Pawlowski and Connolly leading the team with 12 points each. Kazmerski and Lynam each added 11, with Kazmerski pulling down eight rebounds. Wilkes also shot 39 percent from the floor while holding the Defenders to just 30.9 percent.

The Lady Colonels will try to keep their momentum going when they head to Selinsgrove, Pa. to take on Susquehanna on Wednesday, Dec. 8. That game will begin at 7:00 p.m.