PHILADELPHIA, Pa.- Alexa Abbonizio (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) nearly matched her career-high and led all Golden Ram scorers with 15 points to help lead West Chester (2-3) to a big bounce-back victory over perennial power Jefferson (4-2) on Monday evening by a 75-61 final.
West Chester and Jefferson traded baskets through the first three and a half minutes of play before West Chester went on a 15-0 run over the next nearly five minutes to take a commanding 20-6 lead with 1:50 to play in the first quarter. Jefferson and West Chester traded makes through the final 1:50 of the period as the Golden Rams carried a 14-point (24-10) lead into the second quarter of play.
In the second quarter, Jefferson opened the proceedings with a 4-0 run to trim the deficit to 10 points (27-17) with 8:23 to play in the half, but the Golden Rams countered once again, going an impressive 10-0 run to take a 37-17 lead with 4:50 to play in the opening half. West Chester stretched its lead out to as many as 24-points with 1:37 to play when
Leah Johnson (Columbus, N.J./Notre Dame) made her lone three of the first the half to tie for the team lead in first-half scoring with nine points, but Jefferson closed with a 5-0 run to trail by 19 points (42-23) heading into the halftime break.
Through the first 20 minutes of basketball, West Chester showed its balance as no Golden Ram eclipsed the 10-point plateau in the early going, but Johnson and
Abby Penjuke (Collegeville, Pa./Methacton) tied for the team lead in points with nine each (Penjuke shot an impressive 4-of-5 from the field through the first half) while
Maya Carter (Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) and
Alexis Gleason (Clifton Heights, Pa./Msgr. Bonner-Prendergast) ended the half with eight and seven points, respectively. Penjuke and Johnson also tied for the team-high in rebounding in the first half, registering six rebounds each, while Johnson provided two assists to help the Golden Rams take a commanding lead into the halftime break.
As a team, West Chester shot a blistering 18-of-34 (52.9 %) from the field while also going 4-for-9 (44.4 %) from beyond the arc while limiting its hosts to just an 8-for-33 (24.2 %) shooting performance through the opening 20 minutes.
In the third quarter, the host Rams worked to chip away at the visiting Golden Rams lead, but West Chester was able to keep Jefferson at bay throughout the period, letting the hosts climb back within 16 but no closer, carrying a 57-41 lead into the fourth and final quarter of play.
In the fourth, West Chester and Jefferson traded scores throughout the early going as the Golden Rams held a 64-47 lead over the Rams with just over seven minutes to play in regulation. Down the stretch, Jefferson continued to try to mount its comeback, but the Golden Rams never let their hosts close within 14 in the final period en route to the 75-61 victory.
In addition to Abbonizio's efforts, Johnson registered her first double-double of the season with 14 points and 12 rebounds while also registering six assists, with Carter ending her night as the lone other Golden Ram in double figures with 10 points in the victory.
As a team, West Chester shot a solid 41.3 % (26-of-63) from the field while going 8-for-23 (34.8 %) from three-point range and 15-of-20 (75.0 %) from the charity stripe.
For Jefferson, Haley Meinel led the Rams in scoring with 16 points on 7-of-21 shooting, while Sam Yenca registered a double-double of her own with 12 points (6-of-7 from the field) and 10 rebound s in the setback. Morgan Robinson, who entered play as one of the most complete and dangerous players on the floor for Jefferson, ranking third on the team in scoring and leading the team in rebounds and assists (and ranked second in the nation in assists per game), was largely kept in check by West Chester as the Golden Rams limited her to 10 points and nine rebounds and just three assists in the setback.
West Chester will be back in action on Friday night, opening PSAC play vs Pitt-Johnstown with that contest set to begin at 5:30 p.m. before hosting nationally-ranked IUP on Saturday evening with that contest also beginning at 5:30 p.m.
