BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Thiel College women's basketball team won the Betty Abgott Invitational, hosted by Buffalo State, with a 77-70 win over the Alfred Saxons in the tournament championship game Saturday afternoon.
 
The Tomcats led 19-10 at the end of the first quarter and never looked back in securing the tournament title. Thiel led by as many as 21 points in the fourth quarter, though the Saxons did close the gap late on a 21-7 run.
 
Senior guard Jess Vormelker (Orwell, Ohio/Grand Valley), who was named the Betty Abgott Invitational MVP, led the Tomcats with 28 points and nine rebounds. She also recorded seven assists, four blocks and three steals.
 
Vormelker, who made seven 3-pointers Saturday, became the program's all-time career leader in the category (183), surpassing Kelly Muffley (180), who played from 2009-13. Vormelker also moved into sixth place on the program's all-time points list (1,226) Saturday surpassing Cindy Bynum (1,203) and Jaclyn Watkins (1,223).
 
Thiel freshman forward Destiny Johnson (Baltimore, Md./Western) tallied her third double-double of the season with 14 points and a game-best 17 rebounds. Alivia Sidley (Thompson, Ohio/Ledgemont) and Courtney Harriman (Geneva, Ohio/Geneva) also chipped in with 12 and 10 points, respectively.
 
Jamie Wilcox paced the Saxons with 24 points. Bri Hicks notched a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Katlyn Boland secured 11 rebounds while Chloe Kottwitz scored 10 points.
 
The Tomcats (2-2) will return to action Wednesday, Nov. 28 when they host the Hiram Terriers at Beeghly Gymnasium. The non-conference game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.