SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Wofford women's basketball team was locked in a tight, back-and-forth battle with Bellarmine Saturday afternoon in the Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium. The Terriers had a chance to force overtime in the closing seconds, but the final shot attempt was just off to give the Knights the 61-59 win. Wofford falls to 5-4 on the season, and Bellarmine improves to 2-4.
 
"This was a tough one this afternoon. Give Bellarmine credit for coming here and doing the things it takes to win on the road," said head coach Jimmy Garrity.
 
Both teams shot well in the contest, with Wofford a touch better at 40.6 percent compared to Bellarmine's 39.7 percent clip. The Knights, however, converted more from distance with eight three-pointers to Wofford's three. Bellarmine also won the glass, 39 rebounds to the 33 of the Terriers. Wofford played cleaner, though, with fewer fouls (12-16) and fewer turnovers (14-16) with the Terriers claiming more points from the miscues, 16 points off turnovers to the 13 of the Knights.
 
Rachael Rose powered the Terriers with 28 points for a second-straight game. She was 12-of-22 from the floor, tying her career high for field goals made. She added in two threes. The junior also collected five rebounds and led the team with six assists and four steals while playing all 40 minutes.
 
Also playing all 40 minutes was senior Annabelle Schultz, who scored nine points with three boards. Evangelia Paulk, Maddie Heiss and Indiya Clarke all gathered six points, with the freshman Paulk topping the squad with 12 rebounds, five of which were offensive. Heiss, a freshman, added in a steal, and the sophomore Clarke gathered six boards.
 
Senior Ja'Rae Smith added two points with a rebound, and freshman Vitolia Tuilave tallied six rebounds with two points and a block.
 
The contest was a back-and-forth battle with 12 lead changes and six ties. Those 12 lead changes are the most in a game for the Terriers this season.
 
The first quarter opened with both teams trading punches. Bellarmine scored first before Rachael Rose pulled things level with a score. Bellarmine responded, but Annabelle Schultz knocked down a three for the lead, 5-4. A couple minutes later, the Knights pulled back in front and led by five, 10-5, at the 5:24 mark. A Knight layup with 3:43 to go made their lead 15-9, but Wofford then responded with an Evangelia Paulk paint score. This kicked off a six-point run for the Terriers to end the quarter with Maddie Heiss putting home a jumper before Rose swiped a steal and converted on the other end to close out the quarter with the score tied 15-15.
 
Bellarmine would open the second with a three and followed with a layup, but Wofford chipped away. The sides traded some blows with Ja'Rae Smith scoring before another Knight three, but Rachael Rose put home a trey of her own before Annabelle Schultz went inside for a tying score, 26-26. Maddie Heiss then put down back-to-back shots for a four-point lead, 30-26, with 2:09 on the clock. Bellarmine scored three of the final five points of the half, but Vitolia Tuilave's layup helped keep Wofford in front, 32-29, at the break.
 
Annabelle Schultz scored right out of the gates in the second half, but Bellarmine responded quickly. The sides traded points until the Knights went on a six-point run to take the lead, 40-36, with 6:50 on the clock. A Rachael Rose three pulled Wofford within one, but the Knights responded with one of their own. Indiya Clarke drew a foul on her score inside and converted at the line for the three-point play, again coming within a point, but Bellarmine again responded from distance. However, Clarke claimed three points for Wofford in the final minute despite a Knight layup, and Wofford entered the fourth down just three points, 48-45.
 
It did not take Rachael Rose long to score entering the fourth as she needed just 17 seconds to put home a basket in the paint. Bellarmine responded, but Annabelle Schultz and Rose put home back-to-back buckets to pull Wofford within one. After trading some more points, Rose put in back-to-back shots herself to push Wofford ahead, 57-55, with 4:38 to go. Bellarmine pushed back by taking a one-point lead, and Rose responded with another score to do the same with 2:02 left. Things settled down for a minute before a Knight three with 55 seconds left pushed Bellarmine in front, 61-59. A Wofford miss gave Bellarmine the ball back with a little over 30 seconds to go, but as the Knights attempted to drain the clock Rose went back to work and swiped a steal. On the ensuing fast break, the Terriers put up their last-second attempt to force overtime, but they could not quite connect and fell just shy, 61-59, to Bellarmine.
 
Wofford will close out its four-game homestand on Monday with Emory & Henry coming to town. Tip-off against the Wasps is slated for 7:00 p.m. in Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium.