SALEM, Va. – Two more program records from junior
Mary Schleusner and a career-high 22 points from junior
Sarah Zimmerman led the No. 17 Washington and Lee women's basketball team to a 73-66 win over Ferrum in the ODAC semifinals on Friday night.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Panthers (14-13) led the contest, 52-50, entering the fourth quarter, before Schleusner opened the scoring by hitting a jump shot and the ensuing free throw after drawing contact. That began a 13-6 run that put W&L (24-3) ahead, 63-58, at the 4:34 mark. Ferrum never backed down, however, as the Panthers hit each of their next four shots to get back within a point with 1:56 remaining in regulation.
The Generals got an answer on their next offensive possession with a triple from junior
Quinn McGuinness, after a Zimmerman offensive board kept the possession alive. Ferrum was then held to 0-for-3 shooting the rest of the way, while Zimmerman and junior
Elka Prechel padded the W&L lead with three total free throws.
Prechel and Zimmerman highlighted the Generals' early offense, as they accounted for all 11 of the team's points through the first five minutes of play for an 11-7 lead. W&L led by as many as eight points in the first half, which came at the 2:10 mark of the first quarter, before Ferrum outscored the Generals, 20-14, in the second quarter to tie the game at 31 heading into halftime.
The Panthers continued to stay in the game as they outscored the Blue and White 21-19 in the third to take their two-point lead through three periods. Both teams shot over 50 percent in the quarter, but Ferrum made two more field goals than W&L and forced two additional turnovers.
TOP PERFORMERS:
Zimmerman's career-high 22 points came on an efficient 6-of-9 shooting from the field, including 2-for-3 from deep and 8-of-8 at the free throw line. Schleusner, who entered the game needing just five points and one block to break both program career records, ended the night with 13 points and three blocks, in addition to 11 rebounds, two assists and three steals.
McGuinness finished the game with 11 points, including her clutch three late in the fourth, while going 4-for-5 at the free throw line, and adding seven boards and four assists. Prechel and sophomore
Riley Bryant combined for 15 points on 5-of-11 shooting.
The Panthers were led by a quartet of double-digit scorers, paced by Kleiauna Riddick at 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting. Aisha Martin and Taryn Blankenship both scored 14 points, with Blankenship hitting 6-of-7 attempts, while Allyson Cassell rounded out the group with 13 points.
NOTEWORTHY POINTS:
Schleusner broke the program's career blocks record of 267 (Jessica Hunsinger '07) with her first swat of the game in the waning second of the first quarter. She then surpassed Jessica Mentz '02 (1,742) as the program's all-time leading scorer with a layup at the 0:28 mark of the second quarter.
Already the program's all-time leading rebounder, as well, Schleusner became just the 12th player in Division III women's basketball history to reach 1,400 career boards. Schleusner's 11 boards on Friday night moved her past Liza Janssen (1,403, Wellesley, 1991-94) for 11th place all-time, and just one behind Tytravia Riley (Bard, 2013-16) for 10th place.
The Generals will be making their third consecutive appearance in the ODAC championship on Saturday after downing Shenandoah in each of the last two seasons.
TEAM STATS:
The Generals shot 40.4 percent (23-57) overall on the night and made 81.5 percent (22-27) of their foul shots. Ferrum ended the game at 44.8 percent (26-58) shooting from the field, helped by 53.6 percent (15-28) in the second and third quarters. W&L also held positive scoring margins in points off turnovers (17-8), second-chance points (10-3), bench points (16-8), points in the paint (34-28) and fastbreak points (24-0).
UP NEXT:
The Generals will face-off against No. 18 and top-seeded Randolph-Macon in the ODAC championship game on Saturday at 8:00 p.m. back in the Salem Civic Center. RMC edged the Blue and White, 86-83, in double overtime on February 1 in one of the Generals' most thrilling regular season games.
