SMWC played three quarters of excellent defense Thursday at Point Park, but the host Pioneers broke free for a big fourth quarter to rally past the Pomeroys by a score of 78-71.
The Pomeroys held the Pioneers to 33.3 percent shooting through three quarters. Gabriella Legister had 10 in the fourth quarter for the Pioneers, helping her team shoot 8 of 14 (57.1 percent) in the fourth quarter.
Brooklynn Jones led SMWC (11-8, 6-3 RSC) 18 points and eight rebounds, and Destiny Thomas had 16 points, a career-high 14 rebounds, three assists and two steals. Aubrey Burgess chipped in 11 points – all in the first half – off the bench.
The Pomeroys built its first-half lead with a big push to close the second quarter. Jones had two jump shots and Madison Fueger two free throws to guide a 6-0 spurt as SMWC took a 39-32 lead with 35 seconds on the clock. Gillian Piccolino converted in the paint with 12 seconds left to cut SMWC's lead to five at the half.
SMWC built its lead to as large as 12 on a layup by Thomas with 3:35 on the third-quarter clock. That's when Point Park began to heat up. Piccolino drilled a 3-pointer to cap an 8-0 run, but the Pomeroys answered with a free throw by Fueger and jumper by Samara Douglas.
Thomas came up with a big jumper in the lane to stretch SMWC's lead back to 60-51 early in the fourth quarter. Point Park put together a 7-0 run capped by Legister's first 3-pointer – and first attempt – of the season.
Point Park took its first lead since the first quarter with 3:11 to go and held on for the win.
SMWC returns to action Saturday at Shawnee State.