CHESTERTOWN, MD. – A strong second quarter proved to be the difference as the Ursinus College women's basketball team was downed, 56-50, on Saturday afternoon from Fall Gymnasium.
 

With the loss, Ursinus closes out the regular season with a 16-9 overall record and a 10-5 mark in Centennial Conference action. Meanwhile, the Shorewomen improved to 15-9 on the season and 8-6 in conference play. The Bears are locked in as the No. 3 seed in Centennial Conference playoffs and will host Dickinson College on Tuesday evening from Helferich Hall.

 
Junior Ava Possenti paced the Bears with a team-high 13 points, 10 steals, and five rebounds. Possenti currently leads the conference with 113 steals which ranks fourth all-time in Centennial Conference single season leaderboard. Additionally, junior Madison Smith added 12 points and eight rebounds for the Bears with sophomore Colleen Blackman tallying 10 points.

 
Washington College jumped out to a 3-2 lead at the 7:27-mark as both offenses struggled to get going early on. After two minutes of scoreless action, Ursinus earned their first lead of the contest at the 5:37-mark as Smith connected on a layup inside the paint. Five straight points from the Shorewomen gave them an 8-4 lead, but the Bears countered with four straight points from senior Charlotte DiLello to tie the game at eight apiece. Ursinus closed out the period by answering each basket from the Shorewomen to tie the contest at 12 entering the second period. Washington College regained the momentum to open the second stanza as a 6-2 run gave the Shorewomen an 18-14 advantage with 8:04 remaining in the half. Both defenses held the opposition at bay as the Shorewomen used a 6-2 run to close out the first half with a 24-16 advantage. Ursinus was held without a basket for the final seven minutes of the quarter as Washington College forced three turnovers and held an eight-point lead.
 
 
The Bears bounced back to open the second half as senior Chinwe Irondi connected on a layup and Possenti recorded a three-pointer to make the Bears deficit, 24-21. Washington College recorded the next two baskets, but four straight free throws from Ursinus kept the deficit at three with 6:21 remaining in the quarter. After trading free throw attempts, Washington College closed out the third quarter on a 6-3 run and held a 36-30 lead entering the final period. Smith opened the final stanza with an offensive rebound and a layup, but five straight points from the Shorewomen increased their lead to 41-32 with 7:25 to play. Behind baskets from Possenti and Irondi, Ursinus used a 6-2 run to cut their deficit to 43-38 with 3:49 remaining in the final quarter. Later in the period, Blackman knocked down a three-pointer to make the score 54-50, but the Shorewomen halted the Bears comeback en route to a 56-50 victory for Washington College.
 

Ursinus shot just 23.7% (14-of-59) from the field, 13% (3-of-23) from three-point range, and 73.1% (19-of-26) at the free throw line. Washington College shot 36% (18-of-50) from the floor, 16.7% (1-of-6) from deep, and 73.1% (19-of-26) at the charity stripe. The Shorewomen held a 28-14 lead with points within the paint, and a 16-12 edge in points off turnovers.
 

The Bears will return to action on Tuesday, February 25th as they host the quarterfinal round of the Centennial Conference Championship against Dickinson College at 6 p.m.