MADISON, N.J. – The Drew University women's basketball team erased a 14-point first-half deficit, but William Paterson University pulled away late and edged the Rangers 64-59 in a tight non-conference matchup Saturday afternoon in Baldwin Gym.
Senior forward
Jamie Struble scored a career-high 16 points and grabbed six rebounds for the Rangers (1-1), who tied the game at 57-57 with 2:15 left before the Pioneers ended the game on a 7-2 run.
Sophomore guard
Maddie Beyer and sophomore forward
Gianna Pica added nine points apiece for Drew while freshman guard
Amy Rachilla posted eight points and five assists. Sophomore forward
Brenna Hezel contributed nine rebounds off the bench.
Brianna Smith scored 20 points to lead William Paterson, which was playing its season opener.
The Rangers trailed 15-7 at the end of the first quarter after sophomore forward
Beth Dobrich dropped in a lay-up at the buzzer off an assist from sophomore guard
Maddy Morgan.
The visitors opened the second quarter on an 11-5 surge to open up their 14-point advantage. It was a 30-17 game with 5:12 left in the period before Drew scored nine unanswered points to pull to within four with 1:27 on the clock. William Paterson led 32-26 at the half.
The Rangers stayed hot in the third quarter, when they outscored the Pioneers 19-11. Beyer came up with a steal and went coast-to-coast for a lay-up that tied it 43-43 with 1:16 left in the third quarter. Then on Drew's next trip down the court, freshman guard
Sarah Smout canned a mid-range jumper to give the Rangers a 45-43 lead heading into the final quarter, capping a 9-2 run to end the stanza.
Brenna Hezel hit a pair of free throws with 9:10 remaining to put Drew up 47-46, but that's when the Pioneers used a 7-0 run to open up a six-point lead with 5:46 to go. However, the Rangers refused to go away and an 8-2 run, capped by another bucket from Smout, made it 57-all with 2:15 on the clock. But William Paterson scored the next six points and Drew was unable to get closer than four down the stretch.
The Rangers continue their season on Wednesday, when they visit John Jay College in another non-conference matchup starting at 7 p.m.
