PHILADELPHIA- Following a dominant win over California (Pa.) last Sunday to return to .500 on the year, the West Chester University women's basketball team (2-2) is set to return to action on Sunday afternoon at Jefferson (4-1) beginning at 1 p.m.
West Chester at Jefferson
Game Details: November 30 I 1 P.M.
Location: Gallagher Center (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Series: 27-23
Coverage Links: Live Stats I
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WCU Links: NEWS I
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Jefferson Links: NEWS I
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Last Time Out
West Chester improved to 2-2 overall and 2-1 at home on Sunday with a dominant 64-36 victory over California (Pa.) in Hollinger. West Chester shot 50.9 % (27-of-53) from the field, including a stellar 9-for-11 (81.8 %) in the first quarter, which, along with a career-high 20 points on 9-of-14 shooting from
Lena Stein (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley), was enough to lead West Chester to its second consecutive home victory over the Vulcans. West Chester never trailed in the victory and held a 21-point lead at the halfway mark before stretching the lead to 28 in an impressive non-league win.
Marianna Papazoglou (North Wildwood, N.J./Wildwood Catholic) was the other Golden Ram in double figures in the victory, finishing with 10 points off the bench to help bolster the Golden Ram offense.
Flock Talk
West Chester enters play on Sunday averaging 63.5 points per game on 41.8 % shooting from the field despite shooting just 19.2 % from three-point range. One of the top free-throw shooting teams in Division II in recent years, this has largely held true for West Chester in 2025, as the Golden Rams are shooting a solid 76.6% from the line through the first four games of the season. West Chester also holds a 44.8-38.3 lead in rebounding, led by an average of 6.0 rebounds per game by Stein. Stein leads the team in scoring, averaging 12.3 points per game, while
Bella Mazur (Linwood, N.J./Mainland) is second, averaging 9.0 per game, followed by Papazoglou, who averages 8.0 points per game.
Ava Mazur (Linwood, N.J./Mainland Regional) has been a weapon off the bench for West Chester this year, and despite her reserve role, is first on the team in assists per game, averaging 3.3 per game. Papazoglou leads West Chester in steals, averaging 2.3 per game, followed by Stein, who averages 1.8 per game.
Facing the Legend
Jefferson continues to be led by one of the winningest active coaches in women's college basketball in Tom Shirley. Shirley enters play on Sunday third all-time in wins with 910, trailing only Geno Auriemma of UConn, who leads all active coaches with 1,256, and Andy Yosinoff of Emmanuel, who is second with 932 wins. Shirley is also the longest-tenured Division II women's basketball coach, with 44 years of collegiate head coaching experience. He is tied with Kate Mullen of Wesleyan (Conn.) for second, while Yosinoff is first with 48 years at the helm at Emmanuel.
Youth Movement
West Chester is starting three freshmen in 2025 as
Lena Stein (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley), Jordin Tate (Wilmington, Del./Caravel), and Kimi Sayson (Oceanport, N.J./Shore Regional) all begin their careers as starters for Wooden's Golden Rams. Fellow freshmen
Alivia Mauz (Williamstown, N.J./Williamstown) and Amelia McMichael (Butler, Pa./Butler) are some of the first players off the bench for Wooden this year as well. West Chester has scored 254 points (63.5/G) through its first three games, and the newcomers have accounted for 144 (56.7 %) of that scoring as Sayson led the team with 11 points in her college debut on against Salem before Stein recorded the first double-double of the year with 17 points and 13 rebounds opposite Glenville State. Tate and Sayson scored seven points each in the loss at La Salle. Stein turned in her best single-game effort of the season to date on Sunday against California (Pa.) with a career-high 20 points. Stein also leads the team in scoring, averaging 12.3 points per game.
Series History
West Chester holds a 27-23 lead in the series against Jefferson since 1980, including a thrilling 79-73 victory over the Rams in overtime in Hollinger last December. West Chester closed the game on an 8-3 run and outscored the seventh-ranked Rams15-9 in overtime to stretch its home unbeaten streak to 26 in a row and send the Rams home disappointed with their first loss of the season.
Michelle Kozicki led West Chester in scoring with 23 points, while
Bella Mazur added 14 of her own.
Scouting Jefferson
Jefferson opened CACC play with a loss on Tuesday evening, falling to Felician by an 81-51 final despite 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field along with six rebounds and three steals by Gabby Recinto. Jefferson shot just 29.8 % (17-of-57) from the field in the loss, including a 3-of-14 (21.4 %) from beyond the arc. Jefferson found itself behind early on Tuesday and trailed by nine heading into the half before being outscored 44-23 in the second half to fall to the Golden Falcons.
Jefferson is 2-0 against the PSAC East so far this year, including a 64-49 victory over East Stroudsburg at home on November 19 and a 50-48 win at Kutztown on Saturday, November 22. In the win over Kutztown, Jefferson led early but found itself tied at the half before a strong effort defensively in the third gave the visiting Rams the separation they needed for a 50-48 victory over the Golden Bears. Emily Spratt led the team in scoring in this game with 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting, along with nine rebounds, while Carolyn Sipprell added 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting as both players played the full 40 minutes in the victory.
Jefferson enters play on Sunday averaging 63.4 points per game on 36.5 % shooting from the field, including a 22.9 % effort from beyond the arc, while the Rams' opponents are averaging 58.0 points per game on 39.3 % shooting from the field and a 21.8 % effort from deep. Emily Spratt leads the team in scoring, averaging 16.0 points per game, while Recinto averages 14.4 per game. Recinto also leads the team in rebounding, averaging 8.2 rebounds per game, followed by Spratt in second, averaging 6.4 points per game. Tori Nigro leads the team in assists, averaging 6.4 per game, which is also seventh best in the PSAC. Carolyn Sipprell is first on the team in steals, averaging 2.8 per game.
Up Next
West Chester will open Crossover play on Saturday, December 6, at home against Pitt-Johnstown beginning at 1 p.m.
