BEAVER FALLS, Pa. – The Geneva College women's basketball team will head into the holidays on a good note after the Golden Tornadoes defeated Bethany at home on Tuesday night to wrap up a tough four-game stretch against some of the top teams in the PAC.  The women held off a late Bethany rally to win 79-76 and improve to 6-5 overall, 3-3 in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC).  The Bison dropped to 5-4, 4-2 in the PAC.

Bethany came into the game playing some of the best basketball in the conference, winning four of its first five PAC games, the only loss a close three-point defeat to undefeated W&J.  Geneva, on the other hand, had dropped its last three games, all on the road against three of the top teams in the conference.

Junior Emily Garvin opened the scoring with a bucket on the opening possession of the game, and the two teams stayed close for the entire first quarter.  The Bison struggled with their shot but made 13-of-14 free throws in the opening period.  Neither team led by more than two points over the first ten minutes, and fittingly at the first break, the teams were tied at 21-21.

Bethany opened with a surge in the second quarter, though, scoring the first seven points, and a Bison three-pointer with four minutes left before halftime stretched the Bethany lead to double digits, 37-27. 

Geneva closed the half well, though.  Trailing 39-29 with two minutes remaining, a layup from senior Mackenzie Barricklow kicked off a 9-1 run to pull the women within two points.  Junior Anna Ulmer followed with a three-point play, and Garvin and Barricklow closed the half with back-to-back buckets to cut the Bethany lead to 40-38 at the break.

The Golden Tornadoes carried that momentum into the second half.  Ulmer opened with a bucket, Barricklow knocked down a three-pointer, Ulmer scored again and then Barricklow hit a layup in transition to close out an 18-1 run over the final two minutes of the first half and the first three minutes of the second half.  Geneva led 47-40 at that point.

Two free throws from freshman Alexandra Cozzens pushed the lead to 56-48 before the Bison closed the third quarter with a 12-4 run to tie the score up, 60-60, heading into the final frame.

Geneva opened the fourth quarter like it did the third quarter.  Garvin and Barricklow opened with buckets, and after a Bethany basket, another three-pointer from Barricklow and a layup from Cozzens gave the women a 69-62 lead.  Two minutes later, a stick-back from senior Abby Shoaff pushed the Golden Tornado lead to double digits, 74-64, with five minutes remaining.

Bethany quickly cut the lead down to five, but a three-pointer from Shoaff helped keep some distance temporarily, 79-71, with 2:06 left.  However, those would be the last points of the game for Geneva.  The Bison closed within three-points late and had two three-point attempts in the closing seconds that missed, allowing the Golden Tornadoes to hold on for the 79-76 victory.

Barricklow had one of the best games of her Geneva career, finishing with career highs of 19 points and 14 rebounds.  Ulmer added 15 points, while Garvin and Cozzens each scored 14 points.  Garvin also pulled down a career high nine rebounds.  Freshman Jessie Moon gave the women a spark off the bench with six rebounds and five assists.  Geneva shot 35-of-81 (43.2%) from the floor and outrebounded Bethany 56-45.

Addy Blazer led six Bison in double figures with 16 points and 11 rebounds.  Bethany shot just 22-of-70 (31.4%) from the floor but stayed close with its work at the foul line, converting 31-of-38 (81.6%) from the charity stripe.

The women will now get to enjoy a long break over the holidays, with Geneva returning to action on Saturday, January 4, with a 1:00 p.m. tipoff against Westminster.