WHEELING, W. Va. – Sydney Nestor and Jamiyah Johnson each registered a double-double, but Wheeling fended off Davis & Elkins as the Senators fell, 81-73, on Saturday in Mountain East Conference (MEC) play at the McDonough Center.
 
Johnson finished with 11 points and 16 rebounds with Nestor adding a team-high 16 points and 10 boards. Peyton Mohler notched 11 points and a team-high three steals and Allie Taylor posted double figures after making the final shot of the afternoon, recording 10 points and four rebounds.
 
Despite the close margin throughout, Wheeling led the entire second half. The Cardinals placed four players in double figures, led by a game-high 21 points from Taliah Cashwell. Lilly Ritz, who entered as the nation's second-leading rebounder behind Johnson, finished with 16 points, 12 boards, three blocks and three steals.
 
The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for D&E.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Both offenses came out strong to begin the game, with each team shooting above 50% from the floor in the opening 10 minutes. The Cardinals took control early, however, jumping out to a 10-4 edge to begin the game. Off a steal, Mohler drove inside for two, trimming the deficit to 12-6.
• Nestor let one fly from deep, connecting on the trey, but Wheeling pushed its lead to nine on a Ritz lay-in. Two straight buckets from the Senators, including a jump shot from Reagan Sharp, made it 18-13 at the 3:24 mark of the opening frame.
• Taylor lined up a much-needed three and Tailyn Silver finished a layup at 1:36 to cap a mini run for D&E. Taliah Cashwell dropped in a three to push the Cardinals ahead 26-20 after one.
• Both defenses settled in to start the second quarter and Wheeling maintained its lead. Three pointers from Taylor and Jessica Eadsforth-Yates made it 35-31 and Courtney Roth stepped into a trey from the left win to trim the deficit to just one as part of a 9-3 surge. Two foul shots for Taylor pushed D&E ahead briefly, but Wheeling took a 42-39 lead into intermission.
• A long two from Rachel Bolyard made it a four-point game in the third period, but Wheeling responded the next time down the floor. That basket would be as close ad D&E would come as the Cardinals pushed the advantage to double digits midway through the fourth.

 
GAME NOTES

• Saturday's matchup featured the top two rebounders in the nation in Johnson and Ritz. The duo didn't disappoint, pulling down a combined 28 rebounds.
• Johnson, who was tied for the nation lead in double-doubles, notched her 14th consecutive on Saturday.
• Taylor notched a career-high scoring output with 10 points against her former team.
• D&E finished with more rebounds than its opponent for the fifth straight game.

 
UP NEXT

• Davis & Elkins returns home on Wednesday, February 5 against Urbana at 5:30 PM.

 

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