WILKES-BARRE – The Wilkes University women's basketball team was able to hold off a late ditch effort by Arcadia University to earn a 61-55 victory in Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) action on Saturday as the Colonels honored their seniors on Senior Day inside the Marts Center.
 
Wilkes improved to 7-16 overall on the year and 6-8 in the conference with two games left to play this season. Arcadia would fall to 14-10 this season, as they would go 7-8 in the MAC Freedom.
 
The Colonels raced off to get the early lead on the Knights as Brenna Babcock (Sweet Valley, PA/Northwest Area) and Kendra Smith (Hughesville, PA/Hughesville) both delivered three-pointers early in the contest to help Wilkes go out to an 8-4 lead over Arcadia. Delaney Bell would make her shot for Arcadia to cut the lead to two points, but Julianna Askins (Carlisle, PA/Carlisle) would make a three while Nadia Evanosky (Dallas, PA/Dallas) converted her layup to give Wikes a 13-8 lead at the end of the first.
 
Arcadia would begin to get points quickly, as Riley O'Hagan converted her shot from beyond the arc while Scarlett Glasser-Nehls made both free throws to get the game within one point. Yamirelis Matos (Springfield, MA/Chicopee) would answer as she scored seven of her team-leading 16 points in a row for Wilkes. Madison Robel (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) would hit a layup and Julianna Askins (Carlisle, PA/Carlisle) would hit a three pointer for the Colonels, but Arcadia would make three-straight shots from beyond the arc in the final 79 seconds in the half to go into the break 27-22.
 
Wilkes would start to keep adding to their lead in the third quarter, as they would shoot 6 of 13 in this period. Evanosky would make a three pointer to begin the second half, adding a layup afterwards to make the lead 32-26 around the 5:26 mark. The Colonels would then outscore the Knights 11-8 as Brianna Horton (Verona, NJ/Verona) would hit two three pointers in the final two minutes to head into the final period leading Arcadia 43-34.
 
After Hanna Rhoades made both free throws in the beginning of the quarter, Horton would add another three while Matos made her own shot from beyond the arc to extend Wilkes lead 51-38 with 6:30 left in the game. The Knights would begin to cut down Wilkes lead slowly as they would outscore Wilkes 16-5 with Dayna Balasa making a three pointer with 1:02 left in the game to cut Wilkes lead to two points.
 
After Matos missed her free throws, Glasser-Nehls would be fouled and go to the line to potentially tie the game up for Arcadia. After making her first one, she missed the second attempt as Horton got the rebound and called timeout with 13 seconds left in the game. Julia Marino (Washington Township, NJ/Washington Township) would go 1-for-2 on the one, making the lead 57-55 with ten seconds left in the contest. A backcourt violation inbound pass turned the ball over for the Knights, with Wilkes eventually making their last free throw attempts and earning the 61-55 win on Senior day.
 
Wilkes shot 33.3% on the field as they made 18 of their 54 attempts while shooting 9-30 from beyond the arc. The Colonels would go 16-25 on the free throw line. Arcadia would tie the Colonels in shooting percentage as they made 17-51 shots with a 33.3% on the day. The Knights would be 10-27 on three pointers and 11-17 on the free throw line.
 
Matos would lead the team in points, scoring 16 on the day as she added five rebounds and three steals. Horton would follow behind with nine points, going 3-9 from beyond the arc as she led the team with eight rebounds while also having three steals. Askins would score eight points, with Babcock and Evanosky having seven points apiece. Marino would tie her career-high in assists as she had 10 on the day while grabbing four rebounds and having a steal and block in the game. Erin Shober (Reading, PA/Wilson) and Evanosky also recorded two blocks for the Colonels.
 
Before the game, Wilkes recognized Horton, Smith, Alexa Jones (Honesdale, PA/Honesdale), and Ariel Reed (Woodbury, PA/Northern Bedford) as they honored their seniors on Senior Day.
 
Wilkes will finish their regular season home action, as they will host cross-town rival King's College on Tuesday in MAC Freedom action at 8:00 p.m.