W&L Women Overcome Rare Halftime Deficit to Advance to Elite Eight

Lexington — Washington and Lee found itself in uncharted waters Friday night, staring at a halftime deficit inside a raucous Holekamp Gymnasium during the NCAA Division III women’s basketball Sweet 16. The Generals answered with a poised second-half surge to defeat Bethel 75-67 and book their ticket to the Elite Eight.

Forward Schleusner paced the offense with 20 points on 9-of-19 shooting and dominated the glass with 17 rebounds. Guard Elka Prechel ignited the perimeter attack, burying 3 of 6 from beyond the arc to finish with 9 points, while Collins added 8 points on 2-of-4 three-point shooting. Washington and Lee connected on 6 of 19 attempts from deep compared to Bethel’s 4 of 14.

The Generals’ defense tightened after the break, limiting Bethel to 28-of-64 shooting and forcing the Royals into contested looks. Washington and Lee out-rebounded Bethel 50-36 and committed only 11 fouls, keeping key players on the floor down the stretch. S. Zimmerman dished out 6 assists to spearhead a balanced 15-assist night.

Bethel was led by Erickson’s 13 points and Born’s 10, but the Royals could not withstand the Generals’ second-half momentum. Duininck chipped in 8 points and a team-high 4 assists, yet Washington and Lee’s decisive 15-23 performance from the free-throw line helped seal the outcome.

An overflow crowd of 1,062 witnessed the comeback, sending the Generals into the next round with confidence and a season-extending victory.