Rochester, N.Y. – The Geneseo women’s basketball team (4-0) remained unbeaten with a 78-62 win over William Smith (2-2) in the semifinal round of the Wendy’s College Classic. The Blue Knights will play for the tournament’s title for the first time since 2002, facing host Rochester Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

Sophomore forward Shannon McGinnis (Walworth/Gananda) and first year forward Allison McKenna (Huntington/John Glenn) both recorded double-doubles to lead Geneseo. McGinnis scored a game-high 21 points (two short of her career high) and McKenna added 11. Both had 10 rebounds for the Blue Knights – who outrebounded the Herons 45-34 – and both recorded career-best totals in blocked shots; McKenna had four of Geneseo’s nine blocks and McGinnis recorded three.

Senior guard Melissa Graham (Orchard Park/Mount Mercy) nearly added a third double double, finishing with 11 points and nine rebounds. Sophomore guard Cara Manfredi (South Glastonbury, Conn./South Glastonbury) and sophomore forward Katie Peterson (Ithaca/Ithaca) added 12 and 11 points off the bench, respectively.

First year guard Amelia Heiselman (Central Square/Bishop Grimes) led the Blue Knights with five assists. McGinnis contributed three along with three steals, matching Manfredi for the team lead.

Geneseo closed the game on an 11-2 run after William Smith had pulled to within seven points with 2:56 to go. The Blue Knights never trailed, scoring the game’s first 10 points, and never led by fewer than five points after that opening burst.

Geneseo will be making the program’s third appearance in the title game (1998, 2002). The Blue Knights were making their fifth trip to the semifinals.


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