Mary Washington women’s basketball holds off Salisbury in close win

by JADON BURGESS

Staff Writer

On Jan. 28, the University of Mary Washington women’s basketball team secured a crucial victory against Salisbury University, which is a fellow member of the Coast to Coast Athletic conference, beating the Salisbury Sea Gulls 52–50 and improving their overall record to 9 wins and 12 losses while their conference record moves to 2 wins and 1 loss. 

“This game was very competitive. I felt like our team left it all out on the court, no matter the circumstances,” said senior forward and business administration major Rileigh Weaver. 

The Eagles’ performance highlighted their resilience, depth and growing confidence as they continue to settle into the rhythm of competing in the more important part of the season, which is conference play. With contributions from experienced upperclassmen such as Senior Rileigh Weaver, who went 5-9 from the field and 2-4 from the free throw line, finishing with 12 points and 5 rebounds, emerging underclassmen Sophomore Juliana Mabiel, who finished with a team high 16 points shooting 8-14 from the field and steady Freshman Guard Emma Terry who also secured 5 rebounds. 

The Eagles opened the night with a steady start, taking a lead after the first quarter, yet Salisbury responded with a strong second quarter. This sent the Eagles into halftime trailing 33–26. 

Despite the deficit, Weaver said the team felt well-prepared for the challenge due to the work they had put in beforehand. 

“We have really just been focusing on us as a team and bringing intensity into practice, so we are prepared,” she said. 

Coming out of halftime, UMW completely flipped the momentum, holding a 43–39 advantage. The Eagles shot 8‑for‑13 in the third quarter. 

Freshman point guard and biomedical sciences major Emma Terry said the team embraced the challenge of playing a conference game on the road. 

“It felt exciting, and the long bus ride gave us more time to mentally prepare,” she said. 

The preparation was shown in the second half, where UMW’s defensive pressure and ball movement kept Salisbury off balance. 

Junior guard and biology major Maddy Jenisch said she thrives in tight, back‑and‑forth games like this one. 

“I loved it. When the game is that close, it brings out the team’s competitive side, and we play more together,” she said. 

The final minutes were tense, with Salisbury threatening to tie or take the lead, but UMW’s defense delivered when it mattered most. The Eagles forced a turnover on one possession and contested a missed layup on the next, sealing the win in the closing seconds. 

Weaver said the team’s mindset was simple: bring their game and play like themselves. 

“Our team focus was bringing intensity and playing true to ourselves the whole entire game,” she said. “For me, I just wanted to focus on playing my game and not letting anyone speed me up.” 

Terry emphasized that confidence and the team’s preparation were translated directly into their performance. 

“We were super excited and ready to compete,” she said. “We were also really prepared for the matchup.”  

The Eagles have been improving on their own time by completing shooting workouts in groups, as well as focusing their practice time to be more active in communicating offensively and defensively, thanks to the discipline of senior Rilegh Weaver.

“There is always room for improvement, and we just can’t wait to keep playing more conference games,” she said. 

When it comes to winning on the road, Jenisch added that these games show the progress the team is making by competing with teams and winning in close games through effort. show more than just what is on the stat sheet. 

“Winning on the road shows our resilience. It proves we can stay locked in no matter the environment,” she said. 

Jenisch mentions that staying sharp will be essential to the team’s final 4 games of the regular season.

“Moving forward, our mindset is to build on that and stay disciplined, keep communicating, and carry the same energy into every upcoming game,” she said.

With this win behind them, UMW now turns its attention to a crucial stretch of conference matchups, beginning with a tough road test at Christopher Newport University on Feb. 7, at 2:00 p.m. 

“Our team mindset is to continue the success we’ve had on the court and to use this momentum going forward,” Terry said.