GREENVILLE, Pa. – Freshman guard Jess Vormelker (Orwell, Ohio/Grand Valley) scored a career-high 26 points and senior forward Jaclyn Watkins (Aliquippa, Pa./Aliquippa) recorded her fourth double-double in the last five games to lead the Thiel College women's basketball team to an 82-68 Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) victory Wednesday over the Chatham Cougars at Beeghly Gymnasium.
 
Thiel led Chatham 33-29 at halftime and held a five-point lead (53-48) after three quarters. The Tomcats pulled away in the fourth frame, outscoring the Cougars 29-20 en route to the conference win.
 
In a game that featured 54 three-point attempts Thiel was the better long-range shooting team. The Tomcats made 9-of-23 shots (39.1%) from beyond the three-point line compared to the Cougars who made 10-of-31 (32.3%). The Tomcats also shot the ball better overall making 30-of-61 (49.2%) from the floor while the Cougars made 25-of-63 (39.7%).
 
The Tomcats also outperformed the Cougars on the glass where they held a decisive 44-29 edge.
 
In addition to her game-best 26 points, Vormelker also secured seven rebounds. Watkins scored 15 points and led both teams with 12 rebounds to notch her fifth double-double of the season.  With her 12 rebounds, Watkins moved into eighth place on Thiel's career rebounds list, surpassing Fontella Jones who tallied 688 career rebounds from 2003-07.
 
Tomcats Taylor Duchon (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) and Taylor Ketler (Dalton, Ohio/Dalton) also chipped in with 14 and nine points, respectively.
 
Katelyn Sieg paced the Cougars with 17 points and eight rebounds. Rachel McClain and Ashley McClain also contributed 12 and 11 points, respectively.
 
The Tomcats will be back in action Saturday when they travel to Crestview Hills, Ky., to face the top-ranked Thomas More Saints. The PAC game is set to begin at 1 p.m.