ELIZABETHTOWN, PA – The Washington & Lee Generals used a huge third quarter to hold off the York College women's basketball team, 68-58, in the opening round of the Yonnie Kauffman Blue Jay Tournament hosted by Elizabethtown College on Saturday.
The Generals turned the game around in the third period as they outscored York 24-6 to turn a two-point halftime deficit into a 16-point lead heading to the fourth.
The Spartans have now lost three straight as they fall to 3-7 while the Generals improve to 7-2. York will now face Delaware Valley in the tournament consolation game on Sunday. Delaware Valley lost to the host Blue Jays 84-59 in the other tournament semifinal.
 
How It Happened
• The two teams went back and forth in the first quarter as there were two ties and four lead changes. The Spartans took an 11-7 lead on an Alyssa Hocker triple with 4:06 left in the period. The Generals tied the game at 11 but York's Bailey Springer scored the final four points of the quarter to give York an 15-11 lead at the end of 10 minutes of play.
• The Spartans continued to play well in the second quarter. York pushed their lead to a game-high 10 points (27-17) on a Brooklyn Naylor lay up with 5:22 remaining in the half. The Generals sliced their deficit in half with a five straight points. Carey Smith split a pair of free throws with 3:24 left but Washington & Lee ended the half by scoring eight of the final 12 points of the stanza to cut York's lead to just two (32-30) at the break.
• The Generals came out of the half and smacked York with a 7-0 spurt over the first 2:36 of the period. Bradi Zumbrum halted the run with a bucket but Washington & Lee ripped off another 7-0 spurt to take a 44-34 lead. Hocker stopped that run with a jumper but the Generals finished the final 2:13 of the quarter with a 10-2 run to take the 54-38 lead after 30 minutes of play.
• The Generals scored the first five points of the fourth quarter to take a 21-point (59-38) lead. The Spartans chipped away, cutting the General lead to 14 at 63-49 with 5:16 left in the game. Washington & Lee built the lead back to 18 before the Spartans ended the game on a 9-1 run to provide for W&L's final 10-point margin of victory.
 
By the Numbers
The Spartans held Washington & Lee to 36.2% shooting from the field but the Generals went 11-for-25 (44%) from three … the Generals were 15-for-25 (60%) from the line while York went just 7-for-9 (77.8%) … York was whistled for 21 fouls while the Generals were only called for 11 infractions … W&L dominated York on the glass by a margin of 50-32 … the Generals had a 14-5 bulge in second chance points … York has been out-rebounded in all but two games this year and the 18-rebound deficit was their second biggest margin of the year (-22 at Johns Hopkins) … York forced 17 W&L turnovers which they turned into 12 points … York had a 22-14 advantage in paint points which was surprising considering the Generals huge height advantage … York had 14 assists and 13 turnovers in the game and that's just the third time they have had more assists than turnovers this year … the Generals blocked six shots in the game … W&L's Elka Prechel poured in 24 points to lead all scorers as she was 7-for-12 from three … she scored her 24 points in just 28 minutes of action.
 
Spartan Notes
The Generals tied the all-time series at 1-1 … the Spartan win came on January 24, 2013, a 61-48 win for the Spartans at Wolf Gymnasium … junior Alyssa Hocker set a career-high with her 13 points in the game and her six made field goals were also a career-high … Hocker added five rebounds in her 22 minutes of play … Bradi Zumbrum led York with 16 points, six rebounds, five assists, a blocked shot and a steal in 31 minutes … the five assists tied a career-high for Zumbrum … Bailey Springer had a career-high four points off the bench for York.
 
Up Next
The Spartans return to action on Sunday afternoon as they face Delaware Valley in the tournament consolation game. Tip time from Thompson Gymnasium is set for 2:00 pm in Elizabethtown, PA.