Wesleyan University used a big third quarter to break open a close game and the Cardinals captured an 86-77 NESCAC win against the Hamilton College Continentals at Hamilton's Margaret Bundy Scott Field House on Sunday afternoon. 
 
The Continentals dropped to 8-10 overall and 1-5 in the conference. Hamilton will travel to Waterville, Maine, to face Colby College for another NESCAC game on Friday, Feb. 4 at 7 p.m.
 
Wesleyan improved to 9-10 and 2-4 in the conference. The Cardinals shot 47.5 percent from the floor, 11 of 23 from 3-point range, and went 19-for-27 (70.4 percent) at the charity stripe. 
 
Kelcie Zarle '22 led the Continentals in scoring with 29 points including a season-high five 3-pointers. Zarle is second in the conference with 19.7 points per game. Emily Hall '24 tallied a career-high 22 points and contributed five assists and four steals. Courtney Shay '24 notched a career-high 13 points and was 3 of 5 from 3-point land. Emma Sehring '23 added seven points and a team-high eight rebounds. Claire Sehring '22 collected six points, seven boards and two blocked shots. 
 
Maddie Clark led the Cardinals with a career-high 24 points on 7 of 10 from the field including a perfect 4 of 4 from beyond the arc. Caleigh Ryan dished out a team-high five assists and notched a double-double with 17 points and 14 rebounds. Marina Petruzzi tallied 17 points and Maggie Lee added 11 off the bench. 
 
Hamilton held the largest lead in the first quarter of five points on three occasions until Wesleyan's Brooke Guiffre hit her first and only 3-pointer of the contest. Guiffre's basket cut the Continentals' lead to 17-15 after one. 
 
Wesleyan opened the second quarter with a pair of 3-balls, giving the Cardinals their largest lead at four points. Hamilton trailed for most of the quarter until a 9-2 run sparked by Shay and Hall during the last 2:04 turned a four-point deficit into a 44-41 edge for the Continentals. The lead was traded six times throughout the quarter. 
 
The Continentals extended their lead to eight at 53-45 following a Shay 3-pointer with 6:02 remaining in the third, their largest of the day. Wesleyan responded with a 23-5 spurt that lasted the rest of the quarter and gave the Cardinals their largest advantage of 10 points at 68-58. Wesleyan was 10 of 15 from the floor including 5 of 7 from long range in the third.
 
Wesleyan held that lead the entire fourth quarter. Hamilton chipped away at the deficit and cut it to 76-74 with 1:28 left after a step-back 3-ball and a jumper in the paint by Zarle. With 1:05 to go, Ryan hit a jumper and pushed the lead back to four. The Cardinals went 4-for-6 at the line during a 14-second span and enjoyed a comfortable eight-point cushion with just 20 seconds remaining.