The Waynesburg University Yellow Jackets women’s basketball team hosted the Washington & Jefferson Presidents Saturday afternoon. Despite an efficient night offensively, the Jackets fell to the Presidents by a final tally of 95-84. Though the margin was 11 points, it was a closer game throughout much of the 40 minutes.

The PAC matchup played at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse ended up being a back and forth thriller. The scoring started early and often for both sides, and after one quarter of play the Jackets [2-12, 1-4] had a three-point lead. The Jackets started the afternoon by utilizing Brooke Fuller, who scored the team’s first four points. She would finish with 19

“I always like to start scoring inside,” head coach Sam Jones. “We typically try to get it to Brooke, and it was working, so we might have done it a hair more than we usually do,” Jones continued.

The Yellow Jackets took a two-point lead into the locker rooms at halftime, but got outscored 29-18 in the third quarter. Though they battled to get back into the game, the rocky beginning to the second half was too much to overcome.

One of the big issues that dogged the team in the second half, Jones said, was rebounding.

“They had four offensive rebounds in the first half, but they got 12 in the second half,” he said. “We have to box out better.”

Erin Joyce, the lone senior on the team, agreed.

“We need to box out to get those second chance points,” she said.

Joyce had a season high eight points in the game. Fuller led the Jackets in scoring, while Alli DeLaney had 15 points, 12 of which came off of the three ball. Andrea Orlosky and Kacey Kastroll also scored in double digits with 16 and 11 respectively.

For W&J [9-5, 4-2], Lauren Gilbert had an historic performance. Her 40 points tied the Washington & Jefferson school record.

“Lauren hit some shots early and got her confidence up,” Jones said. “There were certainly some times we didn’t play great defense on her, but she’s a great player. There were times she made contested shots.”

Gilbert’s performance was boosted by her three point shot, as she went 7-10 from downtown.

Also impressing for the Presidents was Alie Seto. Seto, who is W&J’s leading scorer, had four points at the half, she heated up in the final 20 minutes of the game, scoring 17 points in the second half.

The Yellow Jackets have now lost two and a row, and will have a chance to bounce back Wednesday, Jan. 15, when they travel to Latrobe to face St. Vincent.