February 17, 2016
Miller game-winner, Arkwright block hold off Bethany
GROVE CITY, Pa. -- Sophomore Katelyn Miller (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks East) hit a jumper from the top of the key with 14.4 seconds remaining and classmate Lexie Arkwright (Mercer, Pa./Mercer) blocked Hayley Holenka's game-winner attempt in the closing seconds as the Grove City College women's basketball team held off Bethany for a 59-58 victory in Presidents' Athletic Conference action on Wednesday evening in College Arena.
Arkwright posted a near triple-double with 14 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high eight assists to lead the Wolverines (12-12, 10-7 PAC) while senior forward Kathryn Erbelding (Rochester, N.Y./Greece Olympia) recorded a team-high 19 points to go with eight rebounds.
After trading baskets early, Bethany (8-16, 6-11) used a 7-0 spurt to lead Grove City 11-6 with 3:21 remaining in the first quarter but the Wolverines would answer with a 10-1 run of their own on their way to an 18-16 lead at the end of the first. Grove City would control the second quarter from start to finish, taking their biggest lead of the game on a jumper by junior guard Jackie Stewart (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) at 32-25 with 1:53 to play in the half. The Bison's Mikyla Tipton would get a steal and a layup in the final minute to close the Wolverine advantage to 32-27 at the break.
Kelsea Daugherty led all scorers with 13 first-half points while Arkwright nearly had a double-double in the first half alone, posting 10 points and nine rebounds.
After leading for much of the third quarter, Bethany would tie the game at 40-40 and 42-42 with less than three minutes remaining in the third before consecutive jumpers from Erbelding and Stewart pushed Grove City's lead back to four at 46-42. An Ashley Duthie layup brought the Bison within two at 46-44 to close the third.
Freshman McKenzie Black (Akron, Ohio/Green) opened the fourth-quarter scoring with a three to extend the Wolverine lead to 49-44, but Bethany would get a Hayley Holenka layup and a Daugherty three-point play to even the score at 49-49.
Grove City would later lead 57-54 on an Arkwright layup with 1:39 to play, but Tipton answered with a layup and Daugherty made a jumper with 38 seconds remaining to give the Bison their first lead since the first quarter at 58-57.
The Wolverines would bring the ball across half court and call a timeout. Out of the timeout, Grove City struggled initially to get a good offensive look, but Miller found herself open at the top of the key just inside the three-point line and knocked down a jumper with 14.4 seconds to play. Bethany would call timeout to advance the ball. Out of the break, Grove City put together one of its best defensive possessions of the game, capped by Arkwright's block of Holenka. Holenka would grab her own rebound off the block in time for a last second heave but could not connect, as the Wolverines held on for the victory.
Daugherty led the Bison with a game-high 26 points and 11 rebounds while Tipton and Holenka each added 13 points.
For the game, Grove City shot 28 of 68 (41 percent) from the floor while holding Bethany to 25 of 66 (38 percent) shooting. The Wolverines also out-rebounded the Bison 48-38.
With the victory Grove City has clinched either the No. 3 or No. 4 seed in the upcoming Presidents' Athletic Conference Championship Tournament. The Wolverines will have a first-round bye and host a quarterfinal game on Wednesday night with the opponent to be determined pending Saturday's results.
Grove City hosts Thiel in conference play on Saturday at 1 p.m. on Senior Day. Prior to the game, the Wolverines will honor seniors Erbelding and Natalija Galens (Covert, Mich./Grace Christian).
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