W&J Nips Women's Basketball in Overtime

WASHINGTON, Pa. - Beka Bellhy sets new career high for third time in last four games, scoring 38 points to lead No. 1 Washington & Jefferson to a 96-91 overtime victory over No. 8 Penn State Behrend in the ECAC South Region Women's Basketball Tournament on Wednesday night.

The Presidents (23-5) outscored the Lions (15-12) in overtime 17-12, getting seven points from Bellhy to advance to the ECAC Semifinals this weekend. Rachel Bellhy had the next best numbers for W&J, recording a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds.

Behrend set a new season high for most points in a game (91) and three-pointers scored (12), while shooting their second best percentage from the floor with 46.9 percent (30-for-64). Dani Reinwald (Clymer, NY/Clymer) registered her 18^th double-double with a team-high 19 points and 11 rebounds. Ali Goetz (Mars, PA/Mars) finished with 17 points and Erika Woll (Erie, PA/Mercyhurst) set a new career high with nine assists.

The Lions held the lead for most of the first three quarters until Washington & Jefferson used a 14-0 run in the final 2:38 of the third period to get its biggest lead at 66-59 to start the fourth.

Behrend relied on its three-point shooting in the last quarter of regulation, knocking down four triples, to hold a 20-13 advantage over the Presidents to force overtime. Goetz drained two treys with the latter tying the game at 73-all and Sadie Zielinski (Erie, PA/Harbor Creek) got a triple to fall for a 76-75 lead with 3:20 left to play.

Amirah Moore hit a pair of free throws and Woll got one of two to drop to keep the game knotted (77-all). Reinwald then got the second of two from the line to fall for a 78-77 lead, before Beka Bellhy made a jumper with 32 seconds showing to get the lead back at one.

On the next possession, Goetz was sent to the line and made the first for the eighth time the game was tied at 79-all. Beka Bellhy missed a last second jumper, sending the game into overtime for just the second time this season for the Lions.

Washington & Jefferson never trailed in overtime, going 9-for-10 from the charity stripe, to keep their season alive. Rachael Razzano (New Castle, PA/New Castle) and Woll each hit a three-pointer in the final eight seconds to cut the lead to five for the final.

Razzano tallied 12 points behind a career-high four three-pointers and Heidi Langhorst (Corapolis, PA/Our Lady of the Sacred Heart) was the fourth player in double figures with 11 points. Fontaine Glenn (West Sunbury, PA/Moniteau) added nine points, eight rebounds and a career-high seven assists.