CLINTON, S.C. - The Presbyterian College women's basketball team used a season-high 19 points from Mariah Pietrowski (Elizabethton, Tenn.) and a career-best 16 from Dria David (Lawrenceville, Ga.) to earn a win over visiting North Carolina Central on Tuesday night, 64-48.
PC improves to 3-4 on the season with its first win in three meetings against NC Central, who falls to 1-6 this season.
The Blue Hose held a 30-21 advantage over the Eagles at halftime thanks to a 16-5 run to close out the first half and kept up the pressure in the second, outscoring the visitors 33-28 to seal the 64-48 win. PC outrebounded NC Central, 34-27, and scored 36 points in the paint to the Eagles' 10.
Tuesday marked a night of milestones for the Blue Hose. In addition to David and Pietrowski's feats, the Blue Hose went 27-of-55 from the floor for a season-high 49.1 percent and several players moved up the PC record books.
Kristen Stevens (Pickerington, Ohio) knocked down a three-pointer with 8:23 left in the game to catch Karen Neeley in sixth place on the program's all-time three-pointer ledger. The trey marked Stevens' 117th three-point field goal, tying Neeley's mark set from 1993-97.
Two more members of the Blue Hose improved their standing among Division I-era three-point record-holders as Karlee Taylor (Asheville, N.C.) tied for third with her 44th career three-pointer and Chelsea Parker (Asheville, N.C.) tied David in seventh place with her 16th.
Sherece Smith (Clemson, S.C.) also set a new season high with a team-high nine rebounds and David picked up a season-best seven rebounds and four assists to go along with her 16 points.
NC Central's Chasidy Williams led all players with 22 points and 11 rebounds.
The Blue Hose opened the game with a 4-2 lead before NC Central clawed back to go in front, 8-4.
Pietrowski converted PC's first two baskets and guided the home side off to a fast start, scoring eight of PC's first 17 points to help the Blue Hose catch the Eagles and retake the lead at 17-15 midway through the first half. The junior center scored 13 points to lead all players at the break.
PC extended its advantage on two Megan Schaaf (Ellicott City, Md.) buckets sandwiched around a long two-pointer from Stevens to cap a 10-0 run for the Blue Hose.
The Eagles answered the run with a trey, but a Pietrowski putback gave PC a seven-point lead, 25-18.
Taylor hit a three-pointer to give the Blue Hose their first of the night and help take PC into halftime with a 31-20 lead, closing the first half on a 16-5 run and scoring 15 second-chance points.
PC kept its lead in the double-digits in the second half as Pietrowski eclipsed her season high early in the stanza.
The scoring came from all over the floor as the home team led 48-25 after a Taylor layup. Nine different PC players scored at least three points on the night.
The Blue Hose hit the 50-point mark midway through the half when Parker drained a three-pointer to extend the lead to 50-32 and Stevens followed shortly after with a three of her own.
Five unanswered points lifted PC's advantage over 20 points thanks to a Fothergill layup that put the Blue Hose ahead with 5:29 left, 60-39.
From there, NC Central went on a 9-4 run to close the game but the effort proved too little, too late as the Blue Hose emerged with the win.
PC hits the road on Friday in their next game, a 7 p.m. contest at USC Upstate in Spartanburg, S.C. Live audio will be available on GoBlueHose.com.
