RALEIGH, N.C.– With its top interior players plagued by foul trouble all game, the GW women’s basketball team dropped a close contest to the Wolfpack of North Carolina State by a score of 76-71.

Senior Jessica Simmonds, who paced the Colonials with 18 points and six rebounds, collected her fourth personal foul with 16:46 remaining in the second half, forcing her to sit until 10:46 left in the game. She played the rest of the game without fouling out. Junior forward Whitney Allen (three points, 3 rebounds) and sophomore forward Corrine Turner (nine points, three rebounds) also picked up their fourth fouls in the beginning of the second half.

GW Coach Joe McKeown cited key multiple-shot NC State possessions, which resulted in 21 NC State offensive rebounds, as a significant factor in the game’s outcome.

“They came at crucial times We had to go small a lot because we were playing from behind and we wanted to press a little bit, they took advantage of that,” he said. “The big difference in the game was probably possessions they got back on offensive rebounds.”

Tiffany Stansbury led the Wolfpack with a double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds, while Khadijah Whittington added 16 points and seven rebounds before fouling out.

Stay tuned to www.gwhatchet.com for a full account of today’s games as well as www.hatchetblogs.com for real time analysis from the men’s game.