LATROBE, Pa. (Feb. 8)- The Saint Vincent women's basketball fell to Washington and Jefferson 53-36 in an offensive struggle on Saturday evening.
 
The Bearcats (12-9, 11-5 PAC) were limited to shoot under 25% from the field by a strong Washington and Jefferson (19-3, 16-1 PAC) defense in the loss.
 
Emerson Peffer led Saint Vincent with nine points and four rebounds on 4-8 shooting from the field. Reese Gadsby added eight points and three rebounds. Danielle Pontius also added eight points, while Camdon Bashor totaled nine rebounds.
 
It was a slow start offensively in the first half for the Bearcats. In the opening quarter, W&J opened to a 9-4 advantage over the first five minutes of the quarter. Both teams traded baskets over the remaining five minutes of the quarter as well as the Presidents went into the second quarter with a 14-9 lead.
 
In the second quarter, it was much of the same story for the Bearcats. W&J outscored SVC 11-5 in the quarter. The Bearcats were held without any points for over seven minutes of game time in the second quarter as the Bearcats trailed 25-14 at the half.
 
Saint Vincent was limited to shoot just 13.8% from the field in the half. Peffer led the way with five points for the Bearcats in the half.
 
The Saint Vincent offensive struggles carried into the third quarter as well. W&J outscored the Bearcats 17-10 in the quarter as the Bearcats found themselves trailing 42-24 at the end of three quarters. SVC was limited to shoot just 20% in the quarter, converting on just three field goals against a tough Presidents defense.
 
Saint Vincent rebounded in the fourth quarter, but it was a little bit too late. SVC went on to outscore the Presidents by a slight 12-11 margin in the final quarter, but the Presidents hung on as the Bearcats four-game win streak came to an end with a 53-36 defeat.
 
As a team, Saint Vincent shot just 21.4% (12-56) from the field and 3-13 (23.1%) from the three-point line. The Bearcats were 9-16 from the foul line, while also scoring 16 points in the paint as well.
 
SVC returns to action on Wednesday, February 12 with a trip to Waynesburg for another PAC matchup. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at Waynesburg on Wednesday night.