W&J (11-5, 3-2 PAC) ran out to a 6-0 lead in the first three minutes behind a pair of jumpers by sophomore forward Katie Gress (Harmony, Pa./Seneca Valley).
Grove City (10-7, 3-2) answered right back by scoring 27 of the next 37 points to take a 27-16 lead with 5:26 remaining in the first half. Junior forward Joceyln Kempema (Fort Atkinson, Wisc./Edgewood) drained a pair of free throws with 34 seconds left to give the Lady Wolverines a 37-26 advantage heading into halftime.
Kempema bucketed 11 points in the first 20 minutes, while Gress notched eight points and grabbed five rebounds for the Presidents.
Washington & Jefferson cut the lead to 43-34 at the 13:21 mark after back-to-back lay-ups by sophomore guard Lauren Slampak (Uniontown, Pa./Laurel Highlands); however, Kempema drilled a triple with 7:46 left to up the GCC lead to 56-42 and LeGare scored eight of her 16 points in the final five minutes to help Grove City run away with the 19-point triumph.
Slampak scored 12 points to lead W&J, while senior point guard Shawndra McDonald (Houston, Texas/Westfield) was the only other President in double figures with 10. W&J shot 40 percent (25-for-63) overall, but was 0-for-16 from three-point range.
LeGare made 8-of-11 shots from the floor for her 16 points in just 18 minutes of action, while Kempema finished with 15 points and six rebounds. Moose totaled eight points, six assists and three rebounds to her seven steals. Junior guard Rachel Romance (East Springfield, Pa./Northwestern) also added 13 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
Grove City out-rebounded the Presidents by a 40-30 margin and made 19-of-22 from the free throw line.
Washington & Jefferson travels to Lancaster, Pa., on Wednesday evening for a 6:00 pm tip-off with Lancaster Bible.
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