From University of Rochester Athletics
The University of Rochester, ranked #23 in the current media and coaches' polls, took advantage of cold shooting by Washington University-St. Louis to post a 67-53 victory at the Louis Alexander Palestra on Sunday afternoon. Washington is ranked #8 in the USA Today/ESPN poll for the Women's Basketball Coaches Association and #9 by D3hoops.com. Rochester is #23 in both.
Lauren Deming led the Yellowjackets with 16 points and six rebounds. Alexandra Leslie had 15 points and 10 boards. That's her ninth double-double this season and the 32nd of her career. The Yellowjackets improved to 11-3 overall, 2-1 in the University Athletic Association. Washington is 12-2 overall, 1-2 in the UAA.
The women's race now has five teams tied for first at 2-1: Carnegie Mellon, Rochester, Brandeis, Case Western Reserve, and Chicago. Washington and Emory are both 1-2, while NYU is 0-3. Rochester plays at Carnegie Mellon next Friday. Washington goes home to host NYU.
Rochester shot 42% from the floor (23-55), made five of 20 3-point attempts (20%) and 62% at the foul line (16 of 26). Washington shot 30% from the field (24 of 79), sank only two of 20 3-point tries, and was 3-4 at the foul line.
Natalie Orr scored 18 points for Washington and Jenn Dynis added 14 plus eight rebounds. Between them, they were 15 of 31 from the field. The rest of the Bears combined to sink nine of 48 field goal attempts (19%).
The Yellowjackets took advantage of contributions throughout the lineup. Four players came off the bench to score 23 points. Mary Kronenwetter had eight points and three boards. Lizzy Atkinson sank two treys for six points. Lena Ethington had five points and Jillian Silvestri had four points and four assists in 10 minutes. Twins Maura and Shea McCartney combined for five rebounds and two steals in 10 minutes of time.
Washington led, 12-11, after one quarter. WU was ahead, 16-14, early in the second dhalf when Rochester went on a 12-2 run to seize a 26-18 lead. Leslie scored on a putback. Atkinson sank a trey from left wing and Lauren Foley followed with one from the right corner on the next possession. After Dynis made a backdoor layup, Kronenwetter drove for a bank shot and Ethington hit a 14-footer off the left baseline. The lead was 10, 32-22, at halftime.
Rochester was scoreless over the first five minutes of the third quarter and Washington pulled within 32-29 on Zoe Vernon's 3-pointer from the left corner. Leslie hit a runner in the lane and Deming made two free throws (36-29). After a layup by WU's Madeline Homoly, Deming and Atkinson hit 3-pointers. Kronenwetter's layup gave the Yellojackets their biggest lead at 13, 44-31. She scored five points in the last three minutes of the period to highlight an 8-1 run. Rochester led, 52-34, after three.
Washington used a couple of scoring flurries in the final quarter to make a charge. The Bears scored the first six points. After four Rochester free throws, Washington forced the tempo and took took advantage of some loose balls. The Bears outscored UR 9-1 (with the UR point a free throw by Deming) to move within 57-49 and less than four minutes on the clock.
The Yellowjackets settled down. Leslie made a layup and Deming scored on a putback to trigger a game-ending 10-2 rip.