The Washington University Bears nearly spoiled the No. 10 University of Rochester’s celebration of a new mascot by forcing an overtime that ended in a 58-55 loss.

Rochester premiered a vicious-looking wasp to replace their former cuddly bee mascot. The Yellowjackets reflected their new image, offering up a stifling defense that forced an uncharacteristic season-high 22 Bear turnovers.

“It was reflected by how low-scoring the game was,” said junior guard Shanna-Lei Dacanay.

The closely fought match was tied 11 times and the lead changed 13 times. Both teams had 47 rebounds, with freshman Kathryn Berger pulling down 10 and sophomore Janice Evans nine, although the Bears were out-rebounded offensively 20-13. Both teams struggled offensively. Neither team was able to get many shots from behind the arc as both teams made three treys combined. The Bears held the Yellowjackets to 28 percent field goal shooting through the entire game, but Rochester outscored Wash. U. in the paint 30-28 and held a large advantage in free throws, outscoring Wash. U. 19-13.

Nevertheless, the Red and Green kept fighting through three quarters. After the Yellowjackets jumped to a five-point lead in the last two minutes of the first period, the Bears clawed back to a 21-21 tie. The 5-0 Bear run was sparked by a momentum-boosting three-pointer by Dacanay and was capped with a lay-up in the paint by freshman forward Kelsey Robb.

The Yellowjackets also thought they had the game in the bag at the end of the second period. Nursing a single point lead with 18 seconds left on the clock, freshman Alex Porter of the Blue and Yellow was fouled and received a bonus shot. Porter sunk her basket, eliciting cheers from a large home crowd who thought the game was over. With nine seconds left, the Red and Green’s freshman guard Alex Hoover drove to the lane and was fouled.

“It’s the worst pressure you can have at the line,” said Dacanay. “It was do or die.”

Tension rife in the air, Hoover stepped to the line to take her first of two shots, which she sunk. With all eyes watching, Hoover buried the second to tie the game. “It was a little nerve-wracking,” admitted Hoover. “Right before I stepped up, I thought of all my practice shots. From there, I just sunk them.”

A last-second attempt to break the deadlock failed, sending the game into overtime. This was the first overtime for the Bears since their double-overtime triumph over Kenyon College on Nov. 24.

Right from the starting gate, the Blue and Yellow put in a bucket, which the Red and Green responded to two seconds later. Both teams were held scoreless for the next minute and a half before Rochester had a 4-0 run. The Bears nearly caught up with a three-point play by guard junior Jill Brandt, who led the team with 12 points, to put the score at 52-51 with 1:16 left. Rochester extended their lead to five but Wash. U. maintained their tenacity.

With seven seconds left, guard junior Halsey Ward made her only lay-up of the night before committing a foul to prevent the clock from expiring. The Rochester shooter made both her shots to extend the lead to five again, but another Yellowjacket fouled Hoover.

One second remained on the clock and hope still existed. Hoover, who shot phenomenally from the charity line, buried both her second-chance shots. Time expired on a Rochester inbound play, preventing the Bears from one more chance.

“It was a one-possession game,” said Head Coach Nancy Fahey. “We came out short by one basket.”

The Bears have been unable to get back on track, dropping two games in a row, but they are looking to beat Carnegie Mellon University to break their skid. As of press time, the outcome of the Carnegie Mellon game had not yet been decided.

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