GREENVILLE, Pa. – The Thiel College women's basketball team collected a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) victory over Westminster College 69-62 on Tuesday night in Beeghly Gymnasium.
Three-point baskets on consecutive possessions from
Jess Vormelker (Orwell, Ohio/Grand Valley) and
Alivia Sidley (Thompson, Ohio/Ledgemont) put the Tomcats out in front 6-0 to start the game. Sidley kept the offense coming as she drained her second three-point shot of the night with 6:18 remaining in the first quarter to make it 9-2 in favor of Thiel. The Tomcats went five of six from the free-throw line in the quarter and led 18-12 after one.
After five unanswered points from the Titans to start the second quarter, Vormelker connected on back to back three-pointers to put Thiel's lead back up to seven. Thiel lead by as many as 11 in the quarter before Westminster brought the game within eight to end the first half. At the half way mark, Vormelker totaled 17 points to lead all scorers.
The offense continued to click for the Tomcats in the third as Vormelker converted on another three-point shot to put the Thiel up 11, before Westminster's Paige Quinn answered with a three-pointer of her own to put the lead back down to eight.
Taylor Duchon (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin), who collected 19 points on the night continued the offense with a jumper in the paint and Sidley added another three-pointer to put Thiel up 13 with 8:10 in the third quarter.
With under a minute left in the third,
Brijae Journee (Cleveland, Ohio/Villa-Angela St. Joseph) converted on five free-throws to give Thiel their largest lead of the game at 15 before Westminster's Brooke Lyczeck nailed a three-point shot to put the game within 12.
The Tomcats remained up 10 with under four minutes to play in the fourth. Westminster's Jackie Matthews drilled two three-pointers with under three to play to make it a two-point game with 45 seconds in the game.
The Tomcats remained composed down the stretch as they converted on five of six from the free-throw line to seal a 69-62 victory.
Vormelker collected a game-high 24 points, Duchon poured in 19 points and grabbed a game-high 8 rebounds. Sidley was the only other Tomcat in double figures with 15 points.
Four Titans were in double-figures as Matthews and Alazia Greaves both added a team-high 13 points, while Emily Fromknecht and Kylie Cook collected 10 points apiece.
With the win, Thiel improves to 2-2 overall and 1-0 in the PAC. The Tomcats will be back in action on Wednesday, Nov. 29 as they travel to PAC opponent Thomas More College in Crestview Hills, Ky. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.
