Brady's Roadhouse

It was another rendition of the “I-79 Rivalry” at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse, as the Waynesburg women’s basketball team hosted the Washington & Jefferson Presidents on Feb. 27. 

The Presidents came into the game 5-0 and tied with Grove City for first place in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference. On the other side of things, the Yellow Jackets came into the contest 0-5 and dead last in the PAC.                                                                                                                                             

Half way through the first quarter, the Presidents got out to a 12-3 lead and wouldn’t surrender the lead the remainder of the afternoon. The Yellow Jackets let the Presidents run away with the game, as Washington & Jefferson would make the score 20-11 at the end of the first quarter.

The Yellow Jackets were propelled by a seven-point effort from last year’s second team all-conference center Brooke Fuller, who was coming off the bench against the Presidents.                                                 

“I just wanted to come in and help the team as much as I could whether that was defensive stops or creating offensive opportunities for myself or my teammates.” Fuller said.                                                   

To start the second quarter, the Presidents began the same way they started the first quarter, going on an 11-5 run, making the score 31-16, but that did not stop the Yellow Jackets. Waynesburg cut the deficit to 12 at the half after outscoring Washington & Jefferson 12-9. The Yellow Jackets were making things closer than most people thought, but not Waynesburg Women’s Head Coach Sam Jones.             

“I never go into a game thinking we are going to lose,” Jones said. “The day I start doing that is the day I quit coaching.”                                                                                                                                     

The second half, however, was all Presidents as Washington & Jefferson shot almost 50% on the day and 38% from beyond the three-point line, as the Presidents would go on to win 79-45.                           

6 ‘1 freshman Sarah Berardelli of Washington & Jefferson scored a career and game high of 18 points against the Yellow Jackets, while grabbing six rebounds as well.  Brooke Fuller led the way for Waynesburg with 15 points, five rebounds, and four steals.

The Lady Yellow Jackets are still looking for their first win of the nine-game shortened season as they fall to 0-6 on the season.                                                                       

“We are still a fairly young team, so we are just trying to figure out what clicks.” Fuller said. “It’s hard to get a good understanding of everything. Everyone is putting in the work, it’s going to click for us soon.”

Waynesburg will be back in action on Tuesday, March 2, as they travel to Bethany, WV to take on the Bethany College Bison. Tip-off is at 6 p.m.