MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – Three players scored in double figures for the Wesleyan University women's basketball team as it cruised to a commanding 70-46 win over NESCAC rival Trinity College Saturday afternoon in Silloway Gymnasium.
With the win, the Cardinals improve to 7-7 overall and 1-3 in the NESCAC, while also snapping a six-game losing skid. The loss marks the third straight for Trinity as it drops to 9-4 on the year and 0-3 in league play.
Wesleyan was led by Brenna Diggins '17 who dropped a game-high 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting. She also pulled in five rebounds. Olivia Gorman '19 registered 13 points in just 14 minutes, and was spectacular off the bench in the second half. She finished 5-of-6 from the field. Joining the duo in double-figures was Lauren Gaj '17, who went a perfect 4-for-4 for 10 points and four rebounds. Chynna Bailey '19 led the Cardinals with nine boards and Danielle Gervacio '17 dished out a game-high nine assists. As a team, Wesleyan shot 48.3% (28-58) from the floor and 83.3% (10-12) from the charity stripe.
The Bantams were led by Sheena Landy and Erin Cunningham with 12 and 10 points, respectively. Mackenzie Griffin grabbed nine rebounds and registered five steals, and Alexa Menard recorded a team-high four assists.
Trinity scored the first basket of the game off a layup by Landy, but the Cardinals responded with a 6-0 run to take the lead. Minutes later, a jumper by Tara Berger '19 gave Wesleyan a 13-8 advantage with 3:33 to play in the first quarter. Trinity retaliated with four unanswered points to cut the deficit to one, but Wesleyan put together a 5-0 run down the stretch to claim an 18-12 lead after 10 minutes of action.
Following several minutes of scoreless play, a three-pointer by Gaj at the 5:19 mark gave the Cardinals their first double-digit lead of the game as they pulled ahead, 23-12. Shortly after, a jumper by Gorman capped off a 12-0 Wesleyan run. The Bantams pulled within 10 with 1:33 to play before the break, but Wesleyan tallied seven unanswered points to close out the half en route to a 34-17 halftime lead.
The third quarter featured a lot of scoring from both teams as they went back-and-forth often. After a jumper by Diggins in the opening seconds extended Wesleyan's lead to 19, Trinity scored six straight to get within 13. Wesleyan went on another run shortly after with six unanswered, but a three-pointer by Erica Junquet with 17 seconds to play in the third quarter cut the deficit to 10.
Despite Trinity's rally in the closing minutes of the third, the final 10 minutes of play was all Wesleyan. Gorman hit one from downtown at the 4:27 mark to cap off a 9-2 lead, while putting the game out of reach. The Cardinals cruised in the closing minutes en route to the decisive 24-point victory.
Wesleyan is back in action Tuesday, Jan. 19 and will host non-conference foe MIT at 7 p.m.
