December 3, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Carole Grills
(413) 585-2703

Basketball Drops Close Game at Gordon

Northampton, MA: The Pioneers fell to Gordon College last night 48-46 in a non-conference contest. With the loss, Smith dropped to 4-2 overall while the Fighting Scots picked up their first win of the season to go 1-5 overall.

Gordon took an early 13-8 lead in the opening four minutes of play, but a hoop by Lisa Marie Vuono (Lyndhurst, NJ) and a basket and free throw by Meredith Murelli (Litchfield, CT) tied it at 13 with 12:54 remaining. Consecutive baskets by Sara Schwanke, who tallied a game high 17, gave Gordon the lead once again but Smith's Murelli, Valerie Driscoll (Keene, NH), Anna Veltri (West Milford, CT) and Megan Kiefer (Oak Park, IL) answered to give Smith a 20-18 advantage. Three lead exchanges over the next eight minutes of play found the Pioneers with a 27-25 lead at the half.

In the second half, the game was tied at 27, 29, and 31 before the Fighting Scots increased their lead by four on hoops by Bridget O'Hara and Erin Thames (37-33). Three throws by Driscoll and Courtney Parker (Ocean City, MD) and a made hoop by Parker gave Smith the lead back at 38-37. Driscoll, Veltri and Kiefer combined for six points while a deuce by Marybeth Conlon gave Smith a five point lead with 6:31 remaining.  Schwanke drained a three-pointer at the 4:00 minute mark to close within two and Rebecca Carroll tied the game at 44 with 2:33 left.  Jessica Welk (Arlington, WA), who scored a team high 10 points for Smith, put the Pioneers up 46-44 with 2:11 left. Schwanke converted two free throws for Gordon with :47 left to tie the game at 46 and free throws by Heather DeKeleine with 32 seconds left sealed the win for the home team. 

The Pioneers will host Wheelock College on Thursday, December 4th at 7 pm in Ainsworth Gym.