Pledger Tallies Double-Double With 11 Points and 14 Rebounds

CHESTERTOWN, MD – Visiting Franklin & Marshall got 16 points each from Alexa Barbush and Beth Holt as F&M recorded a 64-53 victory over host Washington College on Wednesday evening at the Cain Athletic Center in Centennial Conference women's basketball action.  The Diplomats improve to 6-5 overall and 4-2 in conference play, while the Shorewomen drop to 3-7 and 1-4 respectively.

Franklin & Marshall led 43-39 with 10:12 left in the game following a pair of free throws by freshman guard Claire Mattox (Arlington, VA/Potomac School).  The Diplomats then scored the next eight points to grab a 51-39 lead with 7:46 to go.  Amy Chabitnoy canned a jumper to begin the run and made it 45-39 with 9:59 left in the contest.  Following a WC turnover, Holt netted a three-pointer to make it 48-39 with 9:34 remaining in the game and Barbush closed the run with a fast-break layup and drew the foul.  She went to the line and hit the free throw with 7:46 left and gave the Diplomats a 12-point lead.  The Shorewomen got it to within six points at 58-52 with 2:46 to go on a pair of free throws by freshman guard/forward Erin Fitzgerald (Greensboro, NC/Bishop McGuiness).  However the Diplomats scored six of the game's final seven points to secure the win.

For the Diplomats got a team-best 10 rebounds from Megan Pauley, while Holt handed out a game-topping five assists.  Barbush pilfered four steals to lead all players.

For the Shorewomen, freshman forward/center Latisha Pledger (Chesapeake, VA/Indian River) totaled her third double-double of the season with 11 points and grabbed a game-high and career-best 14 rebounds.  Freshman guard Kelly Mitchell (Laurel, MD/Academy of the Holy Cross) tied Barbush and Holt for tops in scoring with 16 points.  All of Mitchell's 16 points came in the first half, while Fitzgerald added 11 points for the hosts.  Junior guard/forward Sally O'Donnell (Cape May Court House, NJ/Wildwood Catholic) totaled 12 rebounds to tie her career-high. 

F&M shot 31% from the floor, 36% from three-point range and 67% from the free throw line in the win, while Washington shot just 25% overall, 19% from three-point land and 64% from the charity stripe. 

The Shorewomen out-rebounded the Diplomats 55-48 and had an 18-14 edge in second chance points.  The Diplomats outscored the Shorewomen in points in the paint (10-2), points off turnovers (23-17), fast-break (10-2) and bench points (35-13).

Washington returns to action on Saturday afternoon with a 2:00 p.m. Centennial Conference game at Gettysburg.