Basketball Lady ‘Cats end season with 65-53 loss to Senators

BUCKHANNON, W.Va.– The West Virginia Wesleyan (3-22, 1-21) women’s basketball team hosted the Davis & Elkins Senators (8-20, 5-17) on Saturday for Senior Day inside Rockefeller Center. The Senators prevailed, winning 65-53.
 
Leaders for WVWC
Courtney Wilfong led the Lady Bobcats in scoring with 16 points. Wilfong was 2-4 from behind the arc and hauled in four rebounds. Daveona Hatchell shot 7-for-15 from the floor (46.7%) to finish with 15 points. Symphonie Bryant-Brown tallied 11 points on the afternoon.
 
Leaders for D&E
Peyton Mohler had a game-high 30 points, shooting 63.2% from the field (12-for-19). Mohler ripped down six rebounds to go with five assists. Marissa Berlin had a double-double scoring 15 points and grabbing 13 rebounds for the Senators.
 
Inside the First Half
The Senators started the contest scoring the game’s first 15 points. With 4:29 remaining in the first quarter Hatchell hit a jumper to put the ‘Cats on the board. WVWC would rattle off 10 consecutive points to make it a 15-12 game with 1:54 left in the first quarter. Bryant-Brown and Hatchell would score all 16 of the ‘Cats first-quarter points as they trailed 19-16 at the end of one.
 
Wilfong cut the deficit to one with a jumper on the first possession of the second quarter. With 7:24 to play in the half, Wilfong would tie the contest at 20 as she raced to the basket and converted the driving layup. The two teams would trade baskets for much of the quarter before the Senators capped off an 8-0 run with 3:22 to play. Wilfong would score her sixth point of the quarter with 2:34 to play as she connected on a mid-range pull-up to cut the Senator lead to five. The Senator’s lead would remain at five as Bryant-Brown hit a floater in the paint as time expired to make it 32-27.
 
Inside the Second Half
After a 9-2 Senator run to open the half, Wilfong connected on a three off the Imani Jackson pass to make it 41-32. After a Senator basket the following possession, neither team would score over the next three minutes. Finally, Hatchell ended the scoring drought, converting a jumper off a Wilfong assist. The Senators would take a 54-41 lead heading into the final quarter.
 
The Orange & Black wouldn’t go away easily, scoring the first six points of the fourth quarter to get within seven of the Senators. However, WVWC would not get any closer with the Senators taking the contest 65-53.