HIGH POINT, N.C. - The Presbyterian College women's basketball team received 17 points and eight rebounds from Mariah Pietrowski (Elizabethton, Tenn.) on Saturday afternoon against High Point, but the Panthers held off the Blue Hose to win, 60-53.
PC moves to 12-14 on the year and 6-9 in the Big South Conference. High Point snaps a five-game losing streak and improves to 15-11 overall and 10-5 in league action.
The Blue Hose outrebounded High Point, 32-29, but the Panthers shot 50 percent from the floor (24-48) to take the win. A 10-point High Point lead at halftime proved enough for the Panthers to hold off a PC team that outscored them in the second half, 31-28.
Pietrowski went 8-for-19 on the day and grabbed five offensive boards. Sherece Smith (Clemson, S.C.) also helped out the Blue Hose, scoring eight points while tallying four assists and three steals.
The Panthers led by 17 with eight minutes left in the first half and extended their lead to 18 with 4:10 remaining in the frame. The Blue Hose battled back, however, going on a 10-2 run to close the half and trail by 10 at the break, 32-22.
Shonda Burnside (Gray Court, S.C.) scored six points and grabbed a team-high four rebounds in opening period.
PC came out strong to start the second half, shaving the High Point lead down to five and holding the Panthers without a field goal for 3:59.
Five straight points extended the High Point advantage back to 10 with 13:54 remaining but the Blue Hose clawed back again, as a Chelsea Parker (Asheville, N.C.) trey got PC back to within five midway through the half.
Unfortunately for the Blue Hose, the visitors could not come closer than five with 3:42 to go as High Point held on for the 60-53 win.
PC improved on its shooting performance in the second half, shooting at a 44 percent clip from the floor (11-for-25) in the final 20 minutes.
The Blue Hose return to action on Monday night at Campbell in the final road game of the 2011-12 season.
