WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – Facing off for the second time in seven days, the Wesleyan women’s basketball team came in looking to avenge last weekend’s home defeat to the Ephs and the Cardinals nearly pulled off a thrilling win, only to come up just short in a 69-64 overtime defeat in Williamstown on Friday night. Wesleyan drops to 5-8 (0-1 NESCAC) while the Ephs win their seventh straight, improving to 10-3 (1-0 NESCAC).
 
Wesleyan was red hot from the opening tip, scoring 20 points in the first quarter and 10 in the opening four minutes as Olivia Quinn ’26 and Meghan Kirck ’28 each made two three-pointers in the opening stanza. The Cardinals also limited Williams to 6-of-19 shooting in the first quarter, leading 20-14 heading into the second.
 
Tori DaCosta ’25 scored on the first possession and Alli Jones ’27 followed with a make of her own that gave Wesleyan their largest lead of the game at 24-14. Williams fought back to a three-point deficit just under four minutes later and even after Felicia Fongemie ’27 canned a triple to make it 31-23 Cardinals with 1:04 left before halftime, the Ephs scored twice in the final minute to trial by just three at the break.
 
Neither side scored for nearly three minutes into the second half as the two sides combined for just 21 points in the third quarter. Williams took a 39-36 lead with 2:42 left in the frame only to see Jones convert a layup before Quinn nailed a three-pointer to make it 41-39 Cardinals entering the fourth quarter.
 
In that final stanza, Wesleyan found some early offense with Fongemie hitting a jumper before Kirck hit from deep on the first two possessions, completing a 10-0 run and giving the Cardinals a 46-39 advantage.
 
Williams, however, hit right back with a 16-4 run to lead 55-50 with 4:03 remaining. The Ephs continued to hold a five-point lead with under two minutes left before a frantic final minute saw Williams open the door with some missed free throws as Kirck hit from deep to make it 56-55 Ephs with 42 seconds left.
 
The two sides traded free throw makes before Arianna Gerig went 1-of-2, putting the ball to Wesleyan with 19 seconds left railing 59-57. Fongemie drove the lane and finished against tight defensive pressure to tie the score at 59 apiece, sending the game into overtime.
 
In the extra session, Wesleyan struggled from the floor but still managed to take a 63-62 lead on two Quinn free throws with 55 seconds left. Williams’ Micah Walton answered back with a three-point play that made it 65-63 Ephs and then after DaCosta went 1-of-2 at the line, Walton hit both of her attempts giving Williams a 67-64 lead with 29 seconds left.
 
Kirck’s would-be game-tying three couldn’t fall and Gerig sealed the win with two free throws as the Ephs pulled out the five-point OT win.
 
Quinn led the Cardinals with 19 points (7-14 FG, 3-6 3FG) while Jones added 14 points and nine rebounds. Fongemie finished with 12 points and five rebounds and Kirck went 4-for-9 from three on her way to 12 points.
 
Wesleyan looks to regroup on Saturday afternoon with a 3 PM tip-off at Middlebury.