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WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Sophomore Rachael Scheller (Sunbury, Pa./Shikellamy) and senior Kaitlyn Ober (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) combined for 24 points and 12 rebounds, but the Lycoming College women’s basketball team couldn’t withstand a second-half surge from Widener University, falling 65-43 in  Commonwealth Conference play on Saturday afternoon, Jan. 8, at Lamade Gymnasium.

Scheller led the Warriors (5-8 overall, 1-2 Commonwealth) with 13 points, six rebounds and two assists and Ober notched 11 points, crossing the 700-point plateau with her first bucket, six rebounds and two steals.

Widener (12-2 overall, 3-0 Commonwealth) hit 15 free throws in the second half to extend a nine-point halftime lead en route to the win.

The Warriors cut the lead to five twice early in the first half thanks to layups from Scheller and Ober, and Lycoming kept thoughts of an upset alive by closing within five twice more near the midpoint of the half, with a layup from Ober on a dish from Scheller making it 43-38 with 10:28 left. However, the Pioneers closed the game on a 20-5 run, aided by seven free throws, to close out the game.

The Warriors opened the game hot, taking a 7-3 lead after a layup from freshman Julia Antonelli (Hanover, Pa./New Oxford) and an 11-8 lead after a free throw from sophomore Leeann Randall (Audobon, Pa./Methacton), but a fastbreak layup and a 3-pointer from Widener’s Kate Dellinger helped the Pride take a 13-11 lead and they never trailed again.

The Warriors kept the game close, though, throughout the first half with a 3-pointer from Scheller helping them close within two at 18-16 with 6:05 left. However, the Pride used a 13-6 run to close the half and take a 31-22 lead into halftime.

Antonelli posted six points, eight rebounds and three steals and freshman Jessica Knott (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area) posted five points and five rebounds. Senior Rebecca Spencer (Granville Summit, Pa./Troy) notched four points, four rebounds and two assists and Randall finished with four points and a career-high eight rebounds.

Dellinger led the Pride with 21 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two steals and Lil Carney added 17 points, five rebounds and three steals. Vanessa Hejnas posted nine points and 16 rebounds and Francesca Lee posted nine points and six rebounds for the Pride, who were limited to just 29 (20-for-70) from the field.

The Warriors are back in action on Wednesday when they travel to No. 18 Lebanon Valley for a Commonwealth Conference doubleheader. The  women tip at 6 p.m. before the men play at 8 p.m.