SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Leading by 11 at the start of the fourth quarter, the Wesleyan women's basketball saw their sizeable lead turn into just a two-point advantage with 4:19 remaining, but team defense and timely free throw shooting from the Cardinals proved enough in the end for a 61-55 win over SUNY Geneseo in opening round action of the Hampton Inn Holiday Classic hosted by Western New England.
 
After erupting for 20 points in the third quarter, the Cardinals couldn't get much going offensively in the fourth, allowing the Knights to trim a 47-36 deficit down to 54-52 with 4:19 left. Following a Cardinal timeout, Wesleyan buckled down on defense and held Geneseo to just one made field goal and three total points for the remainder of play. Timely makes at the free throw line from Tori DaCosta '25, Meghan Kirck '28, and Olivia Quinn '26 in the closing minutes proved enough while the Knights finished just 1-for-8 from the floor in the final 4:19 of play.
 
In a game Wesleyan led for 37+ minutes, the Cardinals put on a defensive clinic in the first quarter, holding Geneseo to 25 percent shooting (3-12 FG) while forcing six turnovers. Five different Cardinals scored in the first quarter, giving Wesleyan a 14-7 lead at the end of one.
 
The Cardinals took their first double-digit lead nearly four minutes into the second quarter when Alli Jones '27 converted a three-point play to make it 19-9 Wesleyan. Pauline Vlahakis '28 followed with her first career points, a three-pointer off a feed from Felicia Fongemie '27, before Jones closed out a dominant second quarter with her first career three-pointer as the Cardinals led 27-18 at halftime.
 
After combining for 45 points in the first half, the two sides erupted for 38 combined points in the third quarter alone. Quinn was perfect from the floor for Wesleyan, hitting on all four of her attempts, as the junior scored nine of Wesleyan's 20 points in the frame.
 
Leading by as many as 14 points in the third quarter, Wesleyan carried an 11-point lead into the fourth, only to see the advantage all but disappear with Geneseo cutting the margin to two points on three occasions in the closing minutes. The Cardinals struggled from the floor in the fourth quarter, going 2-for-21 and not hitting a basket over the final 7:30 of the game, but Wesleyan managed to go 9-for-10 at the free throw line which proved pivotal in the end.
 
The game came down to the final minute with Geneseo taking possession down two points. A feed inside the post was deflected and eventually stolen by Jones. The ball came to Kirck who was fouled and with Wesleyan in the double bonus, the first-year nailed both free throws to make it a two-possession game. A traveling call on the Knights with eight seconds left put the ball back in the Cardinals hands who finished off a 61-55 win.
 
Quinn scored 16 of her team-high 18 points in the second half as she finished 7-for-16 from the floor with seven rebounds (four offensive). Jones totaled 13 points and six rebounds as the pair combined to score 31 of the team's 61 points. Chika Oyigbo '26 and Tori DaCosta '25 both finished with seven points while DaCaosta added seven rebounds (five offensive) off the bnech.
 
Wesleyan advances to the title game where they will face Western New England at 2 PM. The Golden Bears sit at 4-0 with impressive wins coming over Springfield (70-63) and RIC (62-55) on the road already this season. WNE defeated Saint Joseph (CT) 82-63 in the opening round game this afternoon.