SAINT MARY-OF-THE-WOODS, Ind.  — The Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College women's basketball team made history Saturday afternoon (Feb. 1), earning their first-ever win over a NAIA nationally-ranked opponent, defeating the No. 9 Rio Grande (Ohio) RedStorm, 78-77, at Knoerle Center.

In a thrilling back-and-forth game, the Pomeroys pulled off a one-point victory. The win marks a monumental milestone for the SMWC athletics program, as this is the first time a Pomeroy team has defeated a nationally-ranked NAIA opponent in any sport.

SMWC improved to 12-9 on the season with a 5-5 mark in River States Conference play. Rio Grande dropped to 18-4 and 8-2 in league play. The Pomeroys will look to build on this historic win as they host Brescia (Ky.) on Tuesday, February 4 at 7:30 p.m. (ET) inside Knoerle Center.

Key Performances:

• Irye Gomez led the Pomeroys with 19 points, hitting 7-of-17 field goals and 3-of-9 from beyond the arc.
• Brooklynn Jones added a double-double performance, scoring 15 points and grabbing a game-high 13 rebounds, while also dishing out 6 assists.
• Diamond Bryant contributed 12 points and 10 rebounds, showcasing her all-around ability with multiple key plays in the second half.
• Destiny Thomas came off the bench to score 16 points in 21 minutes, making an impact in the paint with six rebounds.

Despite a strong performance from Rio Grande, including 23 points from Jasmine Jordan, the Pomeroys held on in the final moments, securing the narrow win. Rio Grande had no answer for SMWC's balanced attack, as the Pomeroys' defense stifled the RedStorm in crucial moments.

In a dramatic final quarter, SMWC held on to secure a 78-77 win over No. 9 Rio Grande, who mounted a fierce comeback but fell just short.

Rio Grande opened the quarter strong, cutting SMWC's lead to 65-58 with a fastbreak layup by Aziah Williams and a subsequent layup by Kaylee Darnell. SMWC, however, responded with a quick jumper from Madison Fueger and a layup by Irye Gomez to push the lead to 67-60.

Darnell continued to play a key role for Rio Grande, helping them stay within striking distance with multiple baskets. With just under five minutes to go, a jumper by Jasmine Jordan cut SMWC's lead to 69-68, but Destiny Thomas answered for SMWC with a layup to keep the Pomeroys in the lead.

The game remained close down the stretch, with both teams exchanging baskets. A late jumper by Darnell tied the game at 75 with 2:55 remaining. However, after a steal by Williams, a layup by Jordan gave Rio Grande its first lead of the quarter, 77-75, with just over a minute left.

SMWC, showing composure under pressure, answered with clutch free throws by Brooklynn Jones, who gave the Pomeroys the lead once again with two successful foul shots, making it 77-76.

In the closing seconds, Rio Grande had one final chance but missed key layups and free throws, with Jones securing the win for SMWC after sinking a free throw with 3 seconds left to make it 78-77.

The game started with an early jumper from Rio Grande's Jasmine Jordan, putting the RedStorm up 2-0. However, SMWC quickly responded with a three-pointer from Irye Gomez at the 8:07 mark to give the Pomeroys a 4-3 lead.

The first quarter featured strong defense from both teams, with SMWC blocking shots and forcing turnovers. A key defensive play came from Diamond Bryant, who blocked a shot and grabbed several rebounds, while Destiny Thomas and Brooklynn Jones also contributed defensively.

After Rio Grande regained the lead at 7-6 with a layup from Ella Simpson, the Pomeroys responded with a 9-0 run. Jones hit a layup off a fast break, followed by a jumper from Thomas, extending the lead to 15-7. Despite Rio Grande's attempts to answer with layups from Kaylee Darnell and a jumper from Lexi Woods, SMWC maintained its lead.

The Pomeroys' defense stood strong, limiting Rio Grande's scoring opportunities, especially from beyond the arc. Gomez's fast-break layup and a jumper from Madison White gave SMWC its largest lead of the quarter at 17-9. A late basket by Rio Grande's Harlei Antritt brought the score to 17-12 at the buzzer, but the Pomeroys were in control after a solid opening 10 minutes.

Rio Grande came out of the gates early in the second quarter, with Jasmine Jordan converting a layup to cut the deficit to 17-15. However, SMWC quickly regained control, as Brooklynn Jones and Diamond Bryant helped push the Pomeroys' lead to 19-15 with back-to-back layups.

The game saw a string of turnovers and missed shots from both teams, but SMWC's defense remained a constant throughout. Key defensive plays included a steal by Destiny Thomas, followed by an easy layup for Jones. Despite Rio Grande's Kaylee Darnell scoring and cutting the lead to 27-25, the Pomeroys answered with a strong offensive push.

Gomez Irye and Thomas continued to pace SMWC offensively, with Irye knocking down crucial shots and extending the lead to 29-27. As the quarter wound down, SMWC's offensive depth proved to be too much for the RedStorm. A three-point play by Bryant gave SMWC a 31-27 advantage, and soon after, Thomas followed with another layup, pushing the margin to 33-29.

In the final minute of the quarter, Rio Grande struggled to capitalize on its chances. A late layup by Marlee Grinstead cut SMWC's lead to 41-33, but the Pomeroys answered with a jumper from Abby Worley to seal the quarter with a 43-33 advantage.