The Saint Vincent College women's basketball team faced Presidents' Athletic Conference foe, Westminster Titans. In a tightly contested game, the Bearcats won by 15, 66-51.
 
The win moves Saint Vincent to 8-5 overall, 4-0 in the PAC while the Titans fall to 11-3 and 4-1 in conference play.
 
Westminster opened the scoring with a layup within the opening minute. Kayla Slovenec evened the score then hit a three-pointer to give the Bearcats a 5-2 lead. The Titans pulled within one at the 6:50 mark. 
 
Slovenec hit another three to increase the lead to four (8-4). Madison Kollar became the second SVC player to score with a layup. After a steal from Carlee Kilgus, Jenna Lafko hit a baseline jumper with 4:27 remaining in the first.
 
On a 7-0 run, Erin Giancola kept the streak going for Saint Vincent with a layup of the glass. With 1:48 left, Taylor Boring hit a baseline jumper but it was followed by a Titan layup to break up the 11-0 run by the Bearcats. After a late free throw by Westminster, SVC held the lead at the break, 16-7.
 
The hosts opened the second period with a three-point make the score 16-10. Kollar made a spin move in the paint then banked in a jumper to increase the lead to eight. Westminster made a jumper to cut the deficit back to six with 7:38. 
 
After a block by Paige Montrose, Saint Vincent went on the attack as Slovenec made her third three-pointer to give Saint Vincent the 22-12 lead. Montrose blocked another Titan shot but the Titans gathered the rebound to make a layup.
 
Westminster kept the momentum going after two made free throws with a three-point make as the clock read 5:35 left. Jenna Lafko ended the 7-0 run with a mid-range jumper. However, the Titans kept edging back into the game with another three.
 
Leading 24-22, Slovenec made her fourth three-point shot to give SVC a five-point advantage with 2:54 remaining in the half. After two made free throws from Kilgus, both teams traded possessions for the final two minutes until Giancola made a buzzer-beating layup off a bounce pass from Kilgus. Saint Vincent led 31-22 at the half.
 
To begin the second half, Westminster opened with a 5-1 run to cut the lead to five. Slovenec continued her hot start as she made a free throw and then stole the ball and made a transition layup open the Bearcat lead to eight. 
 
Trailing 35-27, the Titans scored two field goals and the cut the deficit to four, forcing a full timeout by Saint Vincent with 4:02 on the clock in the third. After nearly two minutes of no score from either side, Westminster ended the drought with a layup. Kilgus got the Bearcats back on the board with two free throws after five minutes without a make.
 
With 1:21 to go in the third, Kilgus made a jumper to increase the lead to six (39-33). Stephanie Vaughn extended the lead with a layup before the Titans' Meghan Meyer hit a three at the buzzer to keep her team within two, 41-39.
 
After some sloppy play from both teams to begin the fourth, Montrose made a layup on the fast break with 8:14 remaining in regulation. Westminster pulled within one after a three just 22 seconds later. 
 
Kollar was fouled by Westminster's Emily Fromknecht who totaled her fourth on the night. Kollar made both free throws to give SVC a 45-42 lead. Kilgus hit a three after the Bearcats made the extra pass to give them a six-point advantage. 
 
Taylor Boring continued the run for Saint Vincent with a three of her own at the five-minute mark. Westminster called a full timeout with 4:23 remaining in the period as SVC led 51-42. 
 
After two free throws for the Titans, Kollar found Kilgus cutting for a layup and was fouled during the shot. Kilgus completed the three-point play. After five-straight points from the Titans, Lafko drove the lane and converted an and-one opportunity. 
 
With a 59-49 lead, Saint Vincent was forced to call a timeout with 1:21 after Westminster cut the deficit to eight. Kollar gathered an offensive rebound and drew a foul for a trip to the free throw line. Kollar made both shots to increase the lead back to 10. 
 
Boring than buried a three to put the game away with 32 seconds remaining in the period. The Bearcats held on to win the game, 66-51.
 
Slovenec led all scorers with 17 points going six-for-nine from the field and a perfect four-for-four from long distance. Kilgus added 14 points while Boring, Kollar and Lafko each scored nine. SVC forced 24 turnovers with 19 points coming off those turnovers.
 
Saint Vincent will travel to Bethany, W.Va. on Saturday, Jan. 11 to face the Bison. Start time is 1 p.m.