WHEELING, W. Va. – The Frostburg State Women's Basketball team fell 57-48 on the road to Wheeling Saturday afternoon.
 
Sophomore Ayla Hileman got the scoring started with a mid-range jumper after being found by freshman Zaria Gaskins, however FSU wouldn't score again for over five minutes. At the other end, WU added a layup, free throws, and a three to lead 7-2. Junior Jenna Muha broke the drought off a feed from redshirt sophomore Mandy Roman before the pair combined to make three-of-four at the line to even the score. Both offenses struggled through the final two and a half minutes, with the Cardinals hitting a pull-up jumper to end the frame up 9-7.
 
The sides traded buckets to start the second, with sophomore Julie Spinelli driving the lane and netting a jumper, while Wheeling made a pair from behind the arc to hold a 15-11 advantage after two minutes. Over the final eight minutes, each team made just two baskets apiece, as a Gaskins steal led to redshirt freshman Sophie Nichols scoring, then she assisted Muha on a layup, while WU added a couple jumpers from Kenzie Dalto to lead 19-15 at the half.
 
A quick start to the third put the Cardinals up by eight, knocking down a three and a jumper while Spinelli split a trip to the stripe. FSU's defense locked in through the next four minutes, as Hileman was able to hit a trey while Spinelli got to the line to pull within 24-21. Heading into the midway point of the quarter, Hileman and Spinelli each answered Wheeling baskets before the hosts were able to knock down back-to-back threes to push ahead 34-25. Freshman Ella Sabatos helped stem the tide with a lay-in, then sophomore Laekyn Flinn and Roman went for two straight buckets hoping to take some momentum, but a late WU three kept them ahead 40-31 at the buzzer.
 
It took two minutes for either side to score in the fourth, with the Cardinals starting things out before Spinelli drove to the rim. Offense continued to be scarce, as a jumper put the hosts up by 11 before Spinelli converted an and-one and combined with Flinn to go 3-of-4 on freebies to pull within 44-39. With three and a half minutes to go, a 7-0 WU run effectively ended any hope of a Frostburg comeback, with a three and back-to-back layups putting them ahead by 12. Spinelli and Hileman went four-of-four at the stripe, with the latter also adding a triple, however the Bobcats weren't able to get any closer than eight, courtesy of a freshman Raegan Ogle layup, as Wheeling came away with the 57-48 win.
 
Spinelli led all scorers with 21 points, coming just a rebound shy of a double-double, while Muha pulled down a team-high 10 boards.
 
With the loss, Frostburg drops to 11-13 on the year while Wheeling improves to 13-11. FSU will remain on the road to face Salem (WV) on Wednesday, February 18 at 5:30 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.