WEST CHESTER – West Chester bundled together a significant run between the second and third quarters to come away with a 61-46 win over Mansfield on Wednesday night.
 
The Mounties jumped out to a 12-5 lead to start the first quarter. After a West Chester layup coming out of the first media timeout of the game, Coach Michael Whitling immediately called another timeout to regroup the troops. Kira Merritt broke up a pass in the paint and pushed all the way up the court, driving through the lane to finish the layup on the other end with contact. She completed the three-point play to make it 15-9 MU. The first quarter also saw Sydney Reed start the game with a hot hand. The freshman scored five of her eight points on the day in the first quarter.
 
Mansfield held West Chester scoreless for a four minute stretch in the second quarter, pulling to a 24-16 lead by the final media timeout before halftime. Reed dribbled into a step-back 3-pointer and nailed it to extend the difference. However, the Golden Rams warmed up and went on a 13-3 run to close out the half with a 29-26 lead.
 
Through halftime, WCU brought the momentum to the tune of a 27-4 run over a 13 minute span. Trailing 43-28, Noelle Cameron received a pass deep under the Mansfield basket and finished at the hoop to end the three minute scoreless drought. Cameron scored another layup consecutively, to bring the Mounties within 11.  Kira Merritt brought the quarter to a close with a buzzer-beating NBA-range three-pointer.
 
West Chester was able to keep their lead for the remainder of the game, closing out a 61-46 win at home. The Golden Rams held Mia Leonard and Erin Gibbons to a combined 11 points on the night. Leonard and Noelle Cameron both brought down eight rebounds for the team-high. Cameron's 10 points led the Mounties, but it wasn't enough to overcome the 36 points from Madison Torresin and Destiny Jefferson. Torresin finished with a double-double after pulling down 10 rebounds as well.
 
The Mounties are on the road again for another two games before hosting Shippensburg on Senior Day. Next up though, on Saturday, February 16^th, they travel to Kutztown for a 1 p.m. game at Keystone Arena.