Pledger Scores 13 Points, Brings Down 17 Boards in Win

RALEIGH, NC -- Junior forward/center Latisha Pledger (Chesapeake, VA/Indian River) scored a team-high 13 points and brought down a game-high 17 rebounds to lead visiting Washington College past host William Peace, 58-53, in the championship game of the Jackie Ammons Memorial Tournament today in Raleigh, NC. The Shorewomen improved to 2-0 with the win, while the Pacers fell to 1-1 with the loss.

Washington held a 28-27 lead at halftime after a back-and-forth opening 20 minutes. A Crystal Alston jumper with 18:17 to go in the second half gave the Pacers a 33-30 lead, but the Shorewomen held them off the scoreboard for the next 6:22 en route to building a 40-33 lead. 

Seven straight points by Alston evened the scored at 40-40 with 11:22 left, but a jumper by junior guard Claire Mattox (Arlington, VA/Potomac School) with 11:02 to play and a three-pointer by freshman guard Ashley Espinosa (Reading, PA/Governor Mifflin) with 10:01 to go put the Shorewomen ahead, 45-40, and back into the lead for good.

Espinosa scored 11 points and junior guard Kelly Mitchell (Laurel, MD/Academy of the Holy Cross) had 10 for the Shorewomen to join Pledger in double digits in the scoring column. Junior forward Erin Fitzgerald (Greensboro, NC/Bishop McGuiness) added nine points, six rebounds, and three blocks in the win for Washington. Espinosa, who scored 21 points last night in the tournament opener against Salem College, was named the tournament's MVP. Pledger was named All-Tournament.

Alston led all scorers with 18 points, while Cookie Wingfield added 11 points and Krystal Williams scored 10.

Washington shot 16-for-49 from the field in the game, converting just 10 of its 37 two-point attempts, but six of its 12 three-point attempts.  William Peace shot 31% from the field in the game.  The Shorewomen out-rebounded the Pacers, 48-42.

The Shorewomen return to action Tuesday with their home and Centennial Conference opener, a 7:30 p.m. game against McDaniel.