CONWAY, S.C. - The Presbyterian College women's basketball team fell to the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers on Saturday afternoon by a score of 47-34.
PC battled hard to erase a 10-point lead by the Chanticleers in the first half and managed to take a four-point lead, 29-25, with eleven minutes remaining in the second half. However, Coastal used an 11-0 run and red-hot shooting from behind the arc to pull away for the 13-point victory.
Neither team shot exceptionally well on the afternoon. If not for Coastal's final push during the last ten minutes, both teams would have shot under 30 percent from the field. Coastal hit four of their five threes during the final nine minutes of the game but ended the night just over 31 percent from the floor.
PC sank only 3-20 from behind the arc (15 percent) and finished the night at 25 percent from the floor. It was possibly a 5-7 (71.4 percent) night from the free throw line that kept PC in the game until Coastal's offensive outburst. All but one successful free throw came in the first half for PC.
Dria David (Lawrenceville, Ga.) scored four of her eight points on the night from the charity stripe, all in the first half. Mariah Pietrowski (Elizabethton, Tenn.) continued her scoring prowess for the Blue Hose and ended the night with 11 points, six rebounds, and one block to lead the team. Sherece Smith (Clemson, S.C.) played thirty minutes, scored four points, and pulled down a game-high nine rebounds. Amanda Mills (Oregon City, Ore.) contributed nine points on three-of-eight shooting from behind the line.
Olivia Irick proved to be the top scorer for the Chanticleers again, this time with 12 points, five rebounds, and three assists. She also went 4-5 from the charity stripe. Sydnei Moss had nine points, three steals, and six rebounds.
The first half did not have much excitement and was a low-scoring affair. Points and fouls were evenly spread out, as the home team took a 21-16 lead into the locker room. Coastal used offensive rebounds and second-chance points to earn the five-point lead. 14 players accounted for 15 first-half fouls.
PC falls to 6-15, 3-6 while Coastal improves to 8-13, 2-7.
The Blue Hose will next play at Savannah State on Monday, February 7 at 7 p.m.
