It’s been nearly six years since the Waynesburg University women’s basketball team lost to the Thiel Tomcats, the Yellow Jackets are currently riding a ten-game win-streak over Thiel.

Despite this, head coach Sam Jones is expecting the Tomcats to give the Jackets a battle when the two teams face off at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse Saturday, Dec. 9, for the first of two Presidents’ Athletic Conference meetings.

“They always play very hard,” Jones said. “[At Thiel last year], we came out pretty hot and played pretty well, and they just never really recovered. [At Waynesburg] we were down until late in the game, then we came back and pulled out the win. They always play very hard. We’ll have to be ready for them and ready for what they do.”

As of Tuesday night, both teams were 3-3 overall, while Waynesburg was 1-1 in PAC and the Tomcats were 2-1. Thiel is led by junior guard Jess Vormelker, who coming into Wednesday leading the PAC in scoring average at 17.8 points per game, as well as senior forward Taylor Duchon, who ranked ninth in the conference at 14.4 points per game. Junior guard Alivia Sidley is Thiel’s third-leading scorer, averaging 10.6 points per game as of Wednesday. For Jones, containing Vormelker and Duchon will be vital to picking up a conference win.

“Just making sure those two don’t get hot is really our biggest issue,” Jones said. “We have people that can guard them. It’s just whether or not they actually do it.”

The Jackets have had success this season against high scorers, most recently Grove City’s Lexi Arkwright, who is among the PAC’s scoring leaders. Although Arkwright scored 17 points, Waynesburg held her to just 6-17 from the field on its way to a 57-47 win at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse Wednesday, Nov. 29.

For Jones, although the Jackets’ experience in defending players of Arkwright’s caliber could be a big benefit in preparing for the Tomcats, it is also important for the Jackets to not lose track of the rest of their defensive assignments aside from Vormelker and Duchon.

“We’ve played some really top-end kids that really been the engine that drive their teams a few times now,” Jones said. “So just being able to have focus, but not lose all assemblies of defense in other places, that can definitely help us.”

To Jones, the key to Waynesburg’s defense slowing down Vormelker and Duchon lies in making them earn their points and keeping its composure if and when they score.

“You just have to make them work for every shot,” Jones said. “They’re good players, and they’re going to hit some, and you have to realize that and not get frustrated when they do. …You really just have to work hard and make them work for their shot every time.”

Last season, the Yellow Jackets beat Thiel on the road at Beeghly Gymnasium, 83-55, and also at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse, 55-47. Whether last year’s results will give the Tomcats any additional fuel, Jones expects Thiel to push the Jackets as much as it can.

“Thiel always played really hard when we play them,” Jones said. “So, I don’t know if there will be added motivation or not. I would assume that they are just coming in here trying to win a game like anyone else.”