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Sharp Shooting Fuels Washington University Past Spartans on the Road

Sharp Shooting Fuels Washington University Past Spartans on the Road
Posted: Jan 19, 2018

From Washington University Athletics

The Washington University in St. Louis women's basketball team defeated Case Western Reserve University 78-61 Friday evening in University Athletic Association (UAA) action at the Horsburgh Gymnasium in Cleveland.

WashU improved to 11-4 overall and 2-2 in UAA play while Case Western dropped to 3-11 overall and 0-4 within the UAA. WashU finished the game shooting 53.3-percent (32-of-60) from the field and tallied 23 assists compared to 11 turnovers.

Sophomore Kristina Schmelter led the Bears with 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field while senior Natalie Orr (13), junior Rachael Sondag (13), junior Stephanie Botkin (10) and junior Becca Clark-Callender (10) also reached double figure scoring.

Botkin and Clark-Callender helped the Bears bench outscore the Spartans 27-7. WashU also held a 41-36 advantage in rebounds.

The Bears held a slim 17-15 lead after one quarter of play as Schmelter scored six of the Bears first nine points of the game. Junior Madeline Homoly converted a layup at the end of the quarter on a dish from junior Katie Claussner.

Homoly carried the momentum into the second quarter as she scored the Bears first two baskets. With 5:42 to go in the half, senior Shelby Mann drove to the basket for a contested layup which gave the Bears their first double digit lead of the contest, 28-18.

Multiple baskets from the Spartans cut into the Bears advantage but Sondag's 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting in the first half led WashU to a 40-29 halftime lead. Hillary Hellmann of Case Western had 11 points at the break.

WashU opened the third quarter on a 9-2 run pushing its lead to 18 points, 49-31. However, the Spartans used an 8-2 run to close out the third quarter and bring the game within nine points, 59-50.

Schmelter once again sparked the Bears offense early on with their first two baskets to regain a double digit lead. A layup from senior Hannah Koenig with 1:04 to go in the fourth gave WashU its largest lead, 78-58, but Case Western scored the final bucket of the game on a triple by Emily Todd.

Hellman led the Spartans with 21 points, while Kendal McConico (15) and Todd (12) scored in double digits.