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The SVC women's basketball team fell to 1-1 on the season in Presidents' Athletic Conference play, dropping a 70-56 decision to Washington & Jefferson on the road.

Kiara Arnold led the Bearcats with 11 points on 5-6 shooting, while Paige Montrose and Carlee Kilgus each scored 8.

The Presidents' Lauren Gilbert made her presence known at the outset of the game, hitting a three-pointer – the first of four she would make in the first quarter – to give the hosts a 3-0 lead.  With just under four minutes remaining in the quarter, another three by Gilbert made it a 14-5 game, but the combination of Kilgus and Arnold provided a spark for the Bearcats.
 
First, it was Kilgus scoring to make it a 7-point game.  After another three by Gilbert, Arnold scored on a layup, followed by a three from Kilgus.  A jumper from Arnold with 25 seconds left in the quarter made it a 3-point game, 17-14 at the break.
 
However, the Presidents took control early in the second quarter, building the lead back to nine, 27-18.  Late in the second, a steal and fast break layup by Maria Morgan made it a 7-point game, 31-24 but the Presidents tallied the final points of the half to go into the locker room up 33-24.
 
Early in the third quarter, a three by Kayla Slovenec cut the gap to eight, 37-29, but most of the period belonged to the hosts, as they increased their lead to as much as 16, taking a 48-32 lead before Paige Montrose scored on a layup with 1:52 to go.
 
Stephanie Vaughn came off the bench and hit a free throw to end the quarter, then started the fourth with a three-pointer to cut the margin to ten, 48-38.  However, the next 8 points went to W&J, including a pair of threes by Gilbert.
 
Benvenuti stopped the run with a three that made the score 56-41, then the teams traded baskets over the next several minutes, keeping the difference at 15 points. 

But the Presidents once again pulled away, increasing the lead to 21 before Jenna Lafko and Arnold helped to cut the gap to just 14 at the end.

Gilbert was the game's leading scorer, with 26 points.  For SVC, Montrose had six rebounds and four steals.

Washington & Jefferson is now 2-0 in the PAC and 5-0 overall, while the Bearcats fall to 2-3 overall on the season.  Saint Vincent will return home to the Carey Center on Saturday (December 2) to host Waynesburg University at 4PM in a PAC matchup.