Balanced Scoring, Hot Third Period Lead Scots to 68-57 Victory Over Geneva

WOOSTER, Ohio – Led by first-year Maria Janasko's 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting, The College of Wooster women's basketball team opened the 2017-18 campaign with a 68-57 over Geneva College (Pa.) on Wednesday night at Timken Gymnasium.

Janasko was one of 11 players to score for Wooster (1-0), who rode a 26-point third quarter to ultimately seal the win.

Junior Anna Gibbs followed up with 12 points on nine shots in addition to a game-high four steals.

For Geneva (0-1), junior Callie Ford totaled a game-high 18 points on 17 shots.

Janasko started out her first collegiate game with a perfect 3-for-3 shooting in the first period, as the Scots held a 19-15 edge going into the first break.

At 22-17 with 8:33 left in the opening half, first-year Sarah Rapacz pulled down an offensive board for a put-back and-one to kick-start a mini 9-4 Wooster run. The Scots outscored the Golden Tornadoes 15-9 in the second frame to take a 34-24 lead heading into halftime.

Lights-out shooting from all areas of the court propelled Wooster in the third period.

The Scots shot 58.8 percent from the field, including 2-for-4 from three-point range and 4-for-5 from the charity stripe. Junior Kyle Croxton showed up in a big way, leading the Scots with nine points in six minutes during the third period. The junior guard out of Columbus, Ohio went 3-for-4 from the field, which included a strong and-one take to increase Wooster's lead to 21 (49-28) with 5:40 remaining in the period.

Nearly a minute later, Croxton extended the Scots' lead to 24 – their largest of the game – with a three-pointer off the pass from first-year Sarah Marion.

With a 60-40 lead at the start of the fourth, Geneva eventually cut the deficit back to single-digits with a 17-5 run over the opening 6:32, before Janasko delivered with a momentum-shifting and-one layup to push the lead back to 10.

Wooster held the Golden Tornadoes scoreless over the final 3:28 to seal the win and defeat Geneva for the second straight season.

Janasko led the Scots with eight rebounds. Senior Aki Shurelds and Gibbs recorded three assists and sophomore Aubri McKoy totaled three steals in 13 minutes.

Up next, Wooster hosts Alma College on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 3 p.m. as part of the Nan Nichols Classic.