BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - The Presbyterian College women's basketball team fell to the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs on Monday night, 52-33. Mariah Pietrowski and Shonda Burnside combined for 15 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Blue Hose on the night.
Pietrowski (Elizabethton, Tenn.) scored eight points and had seven rebounds while Burnside (Gray Court, S.C.) contributed seven points, eight rebounds, and recorded her 17th block of the season. Monique Hudson played 40 minutes for the Bulldogs and scored 16 points with eight assists.
Kristen Stevens (Pickerington, Ohio) got the second half started with a wide-open three pointer bringing the score to 25-20. Pietrowski then scored the next six points for PC before Karlee Taylor (Asheville, N.C.) and Amanda Mills (Oregon City, Ore.) contributed buckets of their own. And, with 8:22 remaining in the game PC trailed by only six points at 37-31. However, a 15-2 run by the Bulldogs sealed the win for Gardner-Webb.
For the night, PC only converted 11-41 FG (.268) compared to the Bulldogs' 21-56 (.375). Just like against Radford last game, the Blue Hose were up against a tough defense that made scoring and running an offense difficult. On the night, PC had 35 turnovers, their highest amount of the season. The Bulldogs converted the 35 turnovers into 20 points. GWU also recorded eight blocks and 14 steals on the night. PC recorded one block and three steals.
PC went 8-12 from the free throw line in the first half but only 0-2 in the second half. GWU started the game 1-11 from the charity stripe before sinking five of their last six attempts to hold on for the win.
Just like in the second half, the Blue Hose opened the game with a three pointer by Stevens. As they did all night, the host Bulldogs replied with an 8-0 run. Over the next couple of minutes, PC would chip away at the lead with a pair of baskets by Burnside and a free throw for her first five points. Chelsea Parker (Asheville, N.C.) went 2-2 from the charity stripe to bring the score to 12-10 with 7:48 remaining in the first half. However, GWU's defense proved too strong as the lead ballooned to as many as 10 points before the Bulldogs took a 25-17 lead into the half.
Gardner-Webb improves to 13-6 overall with a 5-1 record in the Big South. PC finishes their four-game road trip with a record of 5-13, 2-4.
PC will next play on Saturday, Jan. 29 when they play host to High Point at 5:00 p.m. The game is the opening half of a doubleheader with the men who host Winthrop at 7:30 p.m. Both games serve as Lettermen's Day as basketball alumni return to be acknowledged at half-time of both games.
