WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – The Thiel College women's basketball team opened the 2017-18 season Wednesday with a 55-48 non-conference loss on the road to the Pennsylvania College of Technology Wildcats.
 
The Tomcats led 28-22 at halftime and 39-34 after three quarters, but the Wildcats won the fourth quarter 21-9 to earn the non-conference victory.
 
Jess Vormelker (Orwell, Ohio/Grand Valley) led Thiel with 15 points and eight rebounds. Taylor Duchon (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) scored 12 points and secured seven rebounds while Alivia Sidley (Thompson, Ohio/Ledgemont) scored nine points and grabbed five rebounds. Brijae Journee (Cleveland, Ohio/Villa-Angela St. Joseph) also chipped in with six rebounds.
 
Tori Wolfe tallied a double-double for the Wildcats with game-bests in points (17) and rebounds (10). Gwendolyn Lavelle and Ericka Lepley also contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively.
 
The Tomcats will return to action Saturday when they face the New Jersey City University Gothic Knights in the first round of the Susquehanna University Trailways Tipoff Tournament in Selinsgrove, Pa. The non-conference game is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.