From Washington University Athletics
No. 6 Washington University in St. Louis women's basketball defeated Greenville College 75-60 in nonconference NCAA Division III action on Tuesday evening in Greenville, Ill. at H.J. Long Gymnasium.
The Bears improved their record to 8-0, while the Panthers fell to 7-3. WashU held the Panthers to 37 percent (20-54) shooting from the floor. Greenville, however, made 10-of-22 shots (45.5%) from beyond the arc to keep pace with the Bears for much of the game until WashU broke away with a 16-5 run to close out the game.
The Bears worked their way to an early 10-point advantage in the first quarter when sophomore Rachael Sondag sank a midrange jumper with 4:52 remaining on the clock. WashU remained ahead by multiple baskets but back-to-back three pointers from the Panthers closed out the first quarter's scoring as the Bears led 19-15.
Greenville continued to cut the Bears lead in the second quarter as WashU and the Panthers traded leads six times. Greenville's Wesley Woodard put the Panthers ahead by a single point at 28-27 with a jump shot as 4:44 remained in the half. Sophomore Becca Clark-Callender took the ensuing inbound down the length of the court for a lead changing jumper in the lane.
A couple baskets later WashU held a 36-33 lead on a three ball from junior Natalie Orr. The Panthers answered back to knot the game at 36-all with 1:13 to go in the first half. Converted jumpers from Sondag and Clark-Callender put the Bears ahead by four until the Panthers scored the final bucket of the quarter as WashU led 40-38.
Senior Zoe Vernon and sophomore Madeline Homoly each scored six points apiece to help the Bears increase their first half lead to 59-53 after the third quarter. Vernon opened the quarter with two swishes from three-point range but Greenville answered back moments later.
The Panthers regained the lead with 7:10 to go in the third on a three ball from Taylor Paulin. Four minutes later, WashU and Greenville were tied at 52-52. The Bears used a 7-1 run to close out the quarter and never relinquish the lead again.
Sondag's three-pointer with 5:10 on the clock in the fourth quarter gave WashU a double digit lead at 68-57. She added another triple on her next shot to increase the Bears advantage to 14 points. Greenville sank a three in response but was unable to score again in the final three minutes of play. WashU completed the 75-60 win on a jumper from senior Jenn Dynis.
Vernon led all scorers with 14 points, while Sondag and Dynis also reached double figures with 13 and 12 points respectively. Homoly totaled seven rebounds for WashU as the Bears edged Greenville by 41-37 on the glass.
WashU held a distinct advantage in turnovers with four total while forcing 15 from the Panthers. Homoly led with four of the Bears nine steals. WashU's bench also outscored Greenville 29-14.