Tuesday the women’s basketball team was supposed to tip-off against Hiram College at 7 p.m. for both teams second non-conference game of the year.

However, the game was delayed until approximately 8:45 after the Hiram team bus was stuck in a traffic build-up on Washington Road, less than a mile from Roberts Chapel, due to a brief snowstorm. Apparently, a large truck blocked the road up ahead of the Hiram bus and struggled to go down the hill due to the inclement weather.

Once they arrived at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse, the Terriers were given an hour to warm up before the game began.

After Waynesburg sophomore center Brooke Fuller opened the game with a jumper, Hiram responded with a 12-0 run, more than ready to play following a near two-hour delay.

The Jackets would spend the rest of the night playing catch-up, trailing 19-10 after the first quarter and 47-28 at halftime before losing, 86-68.

While the delay may have had an effect on the game, Waynesburg coach Sam Jones doesn’t feel the Jackets can use that as an excuse.

“I’d like to say that it messed up our focus, which may be possible, but they’re [Hiram] the ones that sat for five hours on a bus trying to get through the snow,” Jones said. “I really don’t think that’s an excuse, it may have affected our focus, but it really shouldn’t have.”

Hiram’s Alainna Conroy led all players with 35 points on the night, going 7-12 from three-point range. Conroy alone had more threes than the entire Waynesburg team, who went 6-21 from beyond the arch.

After their first game, Jones said “silly mistakes” cost the young Jackets against Penn State Behrend. Tuesday he was quick to answer when asked what the team improved in the 86-68 loss.

 “Honestly, nothing,” he said. “We digressed if I’m being one-hundred percent honest. We did not play as well as the last game. Our effort and attention to detail was not close enough to honestly answer that question.”

Waynesburg outrebounded Hiram 39-34, something they struggled with in the season opener. Fuller led the Jackets in both points [20] and rebounds [11], and freshmen Leighton Croft had a solid night off the bench with 11 points and six rebounds.

Waynesburg gifted too many opportunities to the Terriers though, losing the turnover battle by more than a 2-1 ratio, giving up 25, while picking up just 12. 

Jones emphasized one thing that the team must focus on in practice this week leading into its next match-up against Case Western Reserve at 7 p.m. Nov. 19.

“Attention to detail on the offensive end, big attention to detail on the defensive end,” Jones said. “Attention to detail pretty much in all aspects of the game.”