WC's Rally Comes Up Three Points Short

CHESTERTOWN, MD – Visting Dickinson College got a double-double from Alesha Sisco with a game-high 25 points and a team-best 10 rebounds as the Red Devils held off a furious Washington College rally to down the Shorewomen, 68-65, on Thursday evening at the Cain Athletic Center in Centennial Conference women's basketball action.

Dickinson (9-4, 5-4 CC) led 60-36 with 8:51 to go in the game following a pair of free throws by Lindsay Finnerty before Washington (6-8, 4-5 CC) made its furious late game rally with a 29-8 run. The run began with a three-pointer from sophomore guard/forward Sally O'Donnell (Cape May Court House, NJ/Wildwood Catholic) to cut the guests' lead to 60-39 with 8:41 to go in the second half. The Red Devils led 61-41 with 7:58 remaining, when the Shorewomen scored the next six points to cut the Dickinson lead to 61-47 with 7:14 to go on a pair of free throws by freshman guard Maggie King (Kensington, MD/Bethesda-Chevy Chase). Following a Brooke Muller jumper to put Dickinson back up 63-47 with 6:58 left, the Shorewomen hit the Red Devils with a 11-2 run to reduce the Dickinson lead to 65-58 with 3:56 to go on a triple by Sally O'Donnell. Dickinson led 67-60 with 1:49 left when Washington would score on a conventional three-point play by senior guard Jane O'Donnell (Cape May Court House, NJ/Wildwood Catholic) to cut the Red Devils' lead to 67-63 with 1:23 to go. Following a Dickinson turnover, freshman center Erin Kile (Benton, PA/Benton) hit a jumper in the paint to cut the Dickinson lead to 67-65 with 38 ticks left. Muller was fouled on the ensuing possession and made one of two from the charity stripe to put the Red Devils up 68-65 with 29 seconds left. On Washington's last possession, Jane O'Donnell's three-pointer to tie the game was off the mark with five seconds remaining and Sisco grabbed the rebound and ran out the clock for Dickinson.

In the first half, Dickinson jumped out to a 14-3 lead with 13:15 left in the first half on a trifecta from Muller, which was also good for her 1,000th career point. The Red Devils pushed the lead out to 20-6 with 10:39 to go in the opening 20 minutes on a layup by Sisco. The Shorewomen would score the next nine points to reduce the Dickinson lead to 20-15 on a three by King. Dickinson would go on a 11-6 run to push the lead back up to 10 points at 31-21 on a Muller triple and the guests would take a 35-27 lead into halftime.

In the second half, Dickinson scored the first 10 points of the half to take a 45-27 lead with 16:23 to go in the contest on a Muller lay-in. Following a pair of free throws by Sally O'Donnell to cut the lead Dickinson lead to 47-33 with 13:55 left, the Red Devils countered 13-3 run to take a 60-36 lead with 8:51 remaining on two free throws by Finnerty.

For Dickinson, Muller scored 18 points and handed out a team-high five assists. Sisco and Finnerty both pilfered three steals for the visitors. Dickinson shot 44% from the floor, 38% from three-point range and 74% from the free throw line.

For Washington, King had 18 points, including 10-for-12 from the charity stripe. The O'Donnell sisters combined for 29 points with Sally netting 16 and Jane chipping in with 13. Kile tallied a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds, while senior guard Jessica Jamrogowicz (Marlton, NJ/Bishop Eustace) passed out a game-high seven assists. The Shorewomen shot 35% from the field, 25% from three-point range and 74% at the line.

Dickinson outscored Washington in points in the paint (32-22), points off turnovers (24-18), and fast-break points (4-2). The Shorewomen held the edge in second chance points (18-10) and bench points (13-8). Washington held a 40-35 edge in rebounds, while both teams turned it over 17 times each.

The Shorewomen return to action Saturday with a 2:00 p.m. Centennial Conference home game against Muhlenberg.