After knocking off the No. 17 Georgetown Hoyas Wednesday, the women’s basketball team followed the win up with a 73-63 loss to DePaul Sunday.

In the DePaul loss, sophomore forward Jessica Pachko tied for the team lead in rebounds with eight and added 11 points.

Pachko’s numbers from the DePaul game mirror those she has posted all season. She is currently averaging 11 points and seven rebounds per gme. The 6-foot-2 sophomore forward is the second leading scorer on the team behind Angel Robinson (12.2 ppg) and leads the team in rebounding.

Pachko said her height and strength enable her to successfully battle down low. Fellow forward Jocelyn Mellen said strength is what enables Pachko to be effective in the post.

“I think she ranks right up there with the top (post players in the Big East),” Mellen said. “She may not be the tallest or the most athletic, but she will be physical and will outwork you for 40 minutes.”

Being able to play well against bigger, more athletic post players, despite being an undersized post, is what Pachko is most proud of with her game.

Pachko failed to get to the free throw line against DePaul, but has attempted the second most free throws on the team this season with 99, only behind Robinson’s 106. Pachko has hit 80 of those 99 this season for the third-best free throw percentage on the team this year at 80.8.

As a freshman, Pachko shot an unimpressive 68.6 percent from the free throw line. As far as why her percentage has vastly increased, she said getting to the free throw line more and averaging more attempts has done the trick.

“We try to get in the gym as much as we can before and after practice,” Pachko said. “ ‘Just 10 to 15 minutes a day,’ that’s what (the coaches) preach to us. ‘Imagine where that will take you.’ ”

Her teammates have also noticed improvements in her game from this year to last. Junior forward Paige Fiedorowicz said Pachko’s decision making with the ball in the post has improved the most.

“She’s getting more double teams now because people are recognizing her,” Fedorowicz said. “She knows when to kick it out and when she should score it.”

Last year Pachko was a member of the 2009 Big East All-Freshman Team. She averaged 8.9 ppg and 5.6 rpg. She said one area where she’s really grown as a player because of her time at Marquette has been the ability to be effective in the transition game.

“In high school it was all half court,” Pachko said. “I wasn’t outrunning people down the court and then I got here (and was forced to play the transition game). I feel I can play either transition or half court.”

Mellen said Pachko has a big future in front of her and the team knows that when Pachko demands the ball in the post she will score.

“I think next year and her senior year she will continue to progress and get better,” Mellen said. “Post players in the Big East better watch out, because she’s going to be pretty dominant.”