November 26, 2002
WC Falls to Wesley in Thriller
Piringer Matches Career-High of 24 Points

DOVER, DE – The Washington College Shorewomen slipped to 0-3 this season with a narrow 65-63 loss at Wesley College this evening. The Shorewomen trailed by seven points with just 1:40 to play, but rallied to pull within two and got off two three-point attempts in the final seconds, either of which would have put them ahead.

Wesley (1-2) led for most of the first half, but a 10-3 spurt by the Shorewomen to end the period gave WC a 32-29 lead at the break. With the scored tied at 50-50 with 8:50 to play in the second, the Wolverines went on a 13-5 run, capped off by a three-pointer from Ginny Roma that pushed the lead to 63-55 with 3:40 remaining.

With her team leading, 65-58 with 1:40 to play, Wesley's Robin Detweiler missed a pair of free throws that would have pushed the Wolverine lead to nine. Instead, a lay-up by Washington junior guard Karen Simos (North Potomac, MD/Thomas S. Wooton) converted a lay-up with 1:28 remaining to cut the lead to five and junior guard Katie Piringer (Potomac, MD/Stone Ridge) nailed a three-pointer with 46 seconds on the clock to pull the Shorewomen within two. Washington got the ball back, but missed the two three-pointers in the final 11 seconds and the Wolverines hung on for the win.

Piringer led the Shorewomen with 24 points, matching her career-high. Junior point guard Yianna Patronas (Bethesda, MD/Walt Whitman) dished out a game-high seven assists to go along with seven points. Junior forward Kathryn Zajac (Bellmore, NY/St. Mary's) pulled down a career-best 13 rebounds.

T Neisha Turner led Wesley with 18 points and converted four-of-six three-point field goal attempts. Her shooting led a Wesley effort that saw the Wolverines actually convert a higher percentage of three-pointers (eight-of-18, 44%), than free throws (seven-of-20, 35%). Robin Smith recorded a double-double of 12 points and 14 boards.

The Shorewomen shot only 31% from the field, while Wesley shot 42%, but WC managed to stay in the game thanks, in part, to forcing 23 Wolverine turnovers. Washington committed just 12.

The Shorewomen return to action with their Centennial Conference opener on December 7th at 4:00 p.m. at Gettysburg.

BOX SCORE