#6/9 Women's Basketball Holds Off Goldey-Beacom for Sixth Straight Conference Win
WILMINGTON, DE. - The #6/9 ranked Thomas Jefferson University women's basketball team (16-1, 6-0) saw their 13 point lead with 55 seconds to go in the third quarter disappear as the Ligtning got within one-point in the fourth quarter, but the Rams were able to hold their lead, earning them a 73-63 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) win over Goldey-Beacom College (1-16, 0-5) in Wednesday evening competition.
WHAT HAPPENED
The game was competitive in the beginning of the first quarter with the Lightning switching the lead alongside the Rams. Goldey-Beacom hit two of their four first quarter three pointers in the early portion of the contest, going up 8-4. Morgan Robinson, Cassie Murphy, and Sam Yencha had a basket to get Jefferson back ahead. Another Lightning three changed the lead once more, but Yencha responded with another basket. Haley Meinel added two baskets near the end of the quarter to get the Rams ahead 18-16 heading into the second.
Meinel would begin the second with a steal that turned into a fastbreak score, with Murphy making two more baskets, helping both players lead the team with 22 points apiece in the game. But Rory Ciszkowski would make a three while Gaia Zimbardo hit a basket to get within two points of Jefferson. Meinel and Murphy would trade shots with Goldey-Beacom, eventually heading into the break with the Rams up 32-26.
The third quarter would go the same as the first two, with both teams trading baskets. Janiya Stevens would convert on her and-one to get within three points, but two Yencha free throws helped the Rams stay ahead. Robinson would get three points while Murphy hit another shot to keep Jefferson up. Another Lightning three got Goldey-Beacom trailing 43-36, but the Rams would start to get momentum near the end. Emily Spratt hit a pair of free throws, Meinel scored two baskets which included an and-one, and Emily Keehfuss made the Ram's only three of the game to get Jefferson up 53-51 heading into the fourth quarter.
Goldey-Beacom would make their comeback quick in the fourth quarter, scoring 11 points in 2:10 minutes as they trailed 53-52 to the Rams, looking to hand them their first conference loss of the season. Yencha would make her shot, scoring six points in this quarter to help her get 14 points in the game while grabbing 11 rebounds to earn her 11th double double this season. Murphy made two free throws to get Jefferson back up by five. After a Lightning layup, the Rams would go through the rest of the game outscoring Goldey-Beacom 16-9 to walk out of Joseph West Jones Center with a 73-63 CACC win.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
Haley Meinel: 22 points on 10-of-19 shooting, 6 steals, 3 assists
Cassie Murphy: 22 points on 9-of-16 shooting, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks
Sam Yencha: 14 points on 4-of-9 shooting, 6-6 FT, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 steals
Morgan Robinson: 8 points on 2-of-7 shooting, 4-7 FT, 8 rebounds, 7 assists
UP NEXT
Jefferson will return back to the Gallagher Center with a two-game home stretch, with the first game being Saturday, January 20 when they host Post University in CACC action at 4 p.m.
