Women's Basketball | 1/22/2011 5:12:33 PM

BOX SCORE

BUCKHANNON, W.Va. – The West Liberty University women's basketball team stormed all the way back from a double-digit deficit in the second half here Saturday only to come up short at the end in a 68-65 loss at West Virginia Wesleyan.

The Hilltoppers (13-3, 8-2) had gone ahead 64-63 with less than two minutes remaining when the Bobcats' Brianna Welch came up with a steal and a runout layup to give Wesleyan (9-3, 7-2) a 65-64 lead with 1:37 to go.

West Liberty's Meghan Wiseman made 1-of-2 free throws to forge a 65-all tie at the 1:19 mark but Wesleyan's Jamie Kaufman answered with two charity tosses at the other end for a 67-65 Bobcat lead heading into the final minute.

The hosts' Daria Abroskina blocked a Kayla Ayers shot with 41 seconds left and Danae Hill made 1-of-2 from the line with 30 seconds remaining for a 68-65 Wesleyan lead.

The Hilltoppers' Laura Malernee couldn't get a 3-pointer to fall with 16 seconds left and Hill was fouled with 11 ticks showing after coming out of a scramble for the loose ball.

Hill missed both free throws to keep West Liberty's hopes alive but Jenn Cessna's potential game-tying 3-pointer glanced off the rim just ahead of the buzzer.

Wesleyan took its biggest lead, 40-28, on a basket by Kaufman at 16:56 of the second half but the Hilltoppers answered with a 15-2 run to go up 43-42 with 11:16 remaining. Neither team led by more than 3 points the rest of the way.

Kaufman and Lydia Bridenbaugh each scored 21 points to lead the winners while Abroskina added 15 markers and Welch finished with 10 points for the defending WVIAC champions.

Malernee led the Hilltoppers with 14 points while Jenni Robbins scored 13 points before being injured in a collision at the end of the first half. Wiseman and Tori Hansen added a dozen points each while Ayers came off the bench with 11 points.

West Liberty returns home to host Davis & Elkins on Monday. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. at the ASRC.