Wilkes Women's Basketball Battles Tough with Elizabethtown in 79-61 Landmark Defeat
ELIZABETHTOWN, PA – Host Elizabethtown College raced out to a 23-12 lead and never trailed on way to a 79-61 Landmark Conference victory over the Wilkes University women's basketball team Saturday afternoon at Thompson Gymnasium.
Wilkes fell to 8-15 overall and 4-11 in Landmark play following the road defeat. Elizabethtown improved to 17-6 overall and 13-3 in conference games,
After the Blue Jays opened an 11-point advantage after the first quarter, Wilkes responded outscoring the hosts 21-20 over the second ten minutes of play.
Madison Robel (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) began a Colonel rally with a layup underneath followed by Nadia Evanoksy's transition score to cut the lead to 25-18 with 7:59 left in the half. Robel brought Wilkes to within five on the ensuing possession with a pair of free throws, but Elizabethtown kept its lead with two scores in the paint and a Taylor Huyck three-pointer as the Blue Jays took a 43-33 lead to the break.
The Blue Jays continued to build on its lead in the third frame, as a bucket on the fast break pushed the hosts ahead by 17 at 59-42 with 3:33 left in the quarter.
Julia Marino (Washington Township, NJ/Washington Township) and
Erin Shober (Reading, PA/Wilson) cut into the advantage with back-to-back scores to end the stanza as Wilkes stilled trailed 60-48.
The Elizabethtown lead grew to as many as 21 points over the final quarter of play as the hosts outscored the Colonels 19-13 to secure the Landmark victory on their home floor.
Evanosky led the Wilkes attack with a season-high 17 points on 5-of-15 shooting from the floor including three triples.
Brenna Babcock (Sweet Valley, PA/Northwest Area) was the other Colonel in double figures finishing with 10 points and ten rebounds, her first double-double of the season. Marino, Shober and
Taylor Simpson (Dunmore, PA/Lawrenceville School) each contributed eight points.
Summer McNulty and DaniRae Renno topped Elizabethtown with 17 points each combining to shoot 14-for28 from the field. Jessica King added 14 points and 11 rebounds. The Blue Jays controlled the glass throughout which led to 29 second chance points.
Wilkes takes to the road for the final time this season finishing off the season series at Moravian University on Wednesday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in Bethlehem, Pa.
