#3 Violets Hold Off Tartans in Women’s Basketball 50-38

Jan. 20 – (PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – Baskets were at a premium Sunday afternoon as the 3rd- ranked New York University Violets came to Skibo Gymnasium to play the Carnegie Mellon University women’s basketball team in University Athletic Association (UAA) action. The Violets defeated the Tartans 50-38 improving their record to 13-1 overall and 2-1 in the UAA while the Tartans lose their second straight to drop to 7-7 overall and 0-3 in the UAA.

Neither team had much success offensively in the first half with NYU going into halftime leading 24-17. The Violets shot 28.6% from the floor in the first 20 minutes and the Tartans shot 25%. Senior forward Leah Feola (Pittsburgh, Pa./Canevin Catholic) scored both her first half baskets on offensive rebounds and sophomore guard Paige Williamson (Washington, Pa./Trinity) and junior forward Rachelle Roll (Ostrander, Ohio/Buckeye Valley) combined for two points when Williamson found Roll rolling off a screen to the hoop upon which Roll was able to lay the ball in the basket. Williamson ended the first half scoring with a jumper from the baseline with 1:08 remaining.

Junior guard Stacie Aleski (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) nailed a three-pointer and drew a foul to pull the Tartans within 24-20 early in the second half. NYU junior forward Jessica McEntee came into the day averaging 20.8 points per game and had a quiet first half but stepped up to score 14 of her game-high 21 in the final 20 minutes. The Tartans got down by as many as 15 points but managed to narrow the margin and a basket from junior forward Jeannette Schilling (Houston, Texas/Cypress Creek) capped off the scoring in the game.

McEntee collected a double-double with ten rebounds to go with her 21 points. Junior forward Megan Fox led the Violets with 12 rebounds in the win. Aleski (11 points) was the only Tartan to score in double figures as the Tartans shot 23.7% from the field on the day. Junior guard Corey Innes (Commerce, Mich./Lakeland) and Feola led the Tartans with nine rebounds apiece, marking a career-high for Innes. Junior forward Ashley Rothwell (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Alvernia) chipped in with eight points in the loss.

The Carnegie Mellon women’s team will next be in action on Friday, January 25 when they travel to Cleveland to play Case Western Reserve University. The game is scheduled to start at 6:00 p.m.