SELINSGROVE, PA – Washington College outscored Wilkes University 18-9 over the final quarter to post a 59-52 victory in the opening game of the Susquehanna University Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday night.
 
Wilkes suffers its first defeat of the 2016-17 season standing 1-1 overall while Washington earned its first victory moving to 1-1 on the season.
 
Trailing by seven at the end of the first quarter, Wilkes responded over the next ten minutes of the game outscoring Washington College 19-7 in the second frame to take a 31-26 lead to the break. Nicole Farrell (Blairstown, NJ/North Warren) started a 7-0 run with a basket and four straight free throws from Haley Mesaros (Royersford, PA/Pope John Paul II) cut the advantage to one with just over six minutes left in the second quarter. A three-pointer from Catey McFadden (Doylestown, PA/Archbishop Wood) tied the game before another long trey from Asdone Hooper (Hanover, PA/Hanover Area) gave Wilkes the lead up 29-26 with :37 left until halftime. Ashley Caster (York, PA/Spring Grove) capped the scoring run for Wilkes in the stanza canning a baseline jumper with one second left to give the Lady Colonels the five point advantage at the break.
 
Wilkes kept the lead through the third quarter holding a slim 43-41 advantage heading into the deciding final frame of play.
 
Washington used six straight points to open the final quarter to take a 52-47 lead through the first five minutes. Mesaros' three-pointer with 2:34 left in the game cut the Washington lead to 52-50 before McFadden grabbed a Mesaros missed shot and put it back for two to tie the game at 52 with 1:12 remaining.
 
From there Washington's Ali Grundy canned a three-pointer and added two insurance free throws at the foul line with :17 left to seal the win.
 
Mesaros led all Wilkes players with 11 points and five rebounds going 6-for-8 from the foul line. Caster added ten points and seven rebounds.
 
Grundy led all scorers with a game-high 20 points shooting 7-for-17 from the field in the win.
 
Washington took advantage of Wilkes' 17 turnovers converting the miscues into 26 points.
 
Wilkes will play the loser of the second game of the tournament either Valley Forge or host Susquehanna University tomorrow in the consolation game at 1:00 p.m.