The Westminster College women's basketball team hosted Principia College for the annual Coaches vs. Cancer game on Tuesday night in Fulton. Westminster partnered with the Super Sam Foundation, a pediatric cancer foundation that focuses on raising awareness, funding research, and supporting families. The Blue Jay coaches wore suits and sneakers, while the players wore specially made warmups. It was a tight game that saw five lead changes and four ties. Ultimately, the Blue Jays pulled away and won the game 62-51. Westminster improves to 12-8 on the year and 6-3 in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. With the win, they take over the third seed with five games remaining on the schedule.
Westminster started the game with a 10-4 lead, and it looked like they were about to run away. However, Principia got a steal that led to a 3 to make it 10-7. The Blue Jays scored six to run away and went up 16-7 after an Aly Bullock jump shot. The Panthers hit a 3 at the end of the quarter to make 16-10 heading into the second quarter.
Principia tied the game up 18-18 with 5:39 left in the first half after hitting another 3, its third. It then took the lead and went up 26-19 with under two minutes before halftime. Annette Ramirez ended the half on a 5-0 run, scoring a 3-pointer and a layup to send the Blue Jays into the locker room trailing 26-24.
The start of the second half saw Principia score on its first two possessions to extend its lead to 30-24. Shelby Kurtz tied the game 30-30 after making back-to-back 3s. They exchanged baskets for the next couple of minutes. The Blue Jays got the lead back after Carli Libhart scored a layup to make it 36-35. Westminster got a couple of stops that led to Caragan Lockard making two straight buckets to extend its lead to five. The Panthers got to the free-throw line a few times to make it 40-38. The Panthers made an offensive rebound putback at the buzzer to end the third quarter trailing 44-40.
Westminster entered the fourth quarter with a four-point lead. It extended that lead to nine points in the opening moments of the quarter. Kiley Ingram made free throws to put the Blue Jays up 51-41. They maintained that lead for the rest of the game and won 62-51.
The Jays were led by Ramirez, who had 19 points and six rebounds. Kurtz had 10 points and eight rebounds. Natalie Archambault had 10 points and three rebounds. Lockard was the fourth Blue Jay to score in double figures, scoring 10 points off the bench.
Westminster will be back in action Saturday when they hit the road to take on the Eureka Red Devils. That game will tip at 1 p.m.