CLINTON, S.C. – Mariah Pietrowski (Elizabethton, Tenn.) scored a season-high 23 points to lead the Presbyterian College women's basketball team over the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs at Templeton Center on Thursday night, 57-48.

PC improves to 12-8 overall and 7-2 in the Big South while Gardner-Webb falls to 8-11 and 1-7 in league action. PC takes a weeklong break from competition before hosting Winthrop on Thursday, January 31 at 7 p.m. Gardner-Webb next travels to Charleston Southern for a Saturday afternoon matchup at 2 p.m.

With Longwood's loss to High Point, PC regained a share of first place in the Big South.

Pietrowski's 23 points came on an 8-for-14 shooting performance and marked her highest scoring output since a 26-point night against Charleston Southern in last year's season finale. The senior center also went 7-for-7 from the free throw line and tied for the game high with eight rebounds.

The Blue Hose held on to a seven-point lead at the half and never trailed after the 16:23 mark of the opening period.

PC outrebounded the visitors by a 22-15 margin in the second half to hold on for the win. The team also blocked nine shots on the night, setting a new school single-game record in the Division I era.

Shonda Burnside (Gray Court, S.C.) turned in a season-high four blocks, tying her with Tonya Kelley (1994-98) for the sixth-most in program history. Dria David scored 11 of her 13 points from the free-throw line, tying another school Division I single-game record.

Candace Brown scored a season-high 14 points to lead Gardner-Webb. PC held Jasmine Dale without a three-pointer to snap an 11-game made streak for the Runnin' Bulldog.

PC opened with a strong first half, shooing 47.4 percent (9-for-19) to take a 26-19 lead into halftime. PC dominated in the paint, with Pietrowski scoring 10 points while Burnside blocked three shots—part of six PC blocks in the half.

Gardner-Webb came out scoring the first four points and it would mark the team's final lead of the game as Pietrowski notched four points to help PC take a 6-4 lead. Gardner-Webb evened the score at 6-6 before PC rattled off five straight to open the gap.

The Runnin' Bulldogs pulled to within two points with 6:17 and the Blue Hose answered. Pietrowski scored four straight points before David knocked down two free throws that extended PC's lead to eight.

Karlee Taylor (Asheville, N.C.) drained the second of her two treys with 1:37 left to hand PC its biggest lead of the period, 26-17, and PC took a 26-19 lead into the locker room.

The second half told a similar story. Gardner-Webb improved its shooting but the Blue Hose defense held their lead en route to the win. The Runnin' Bulldogs cut the lead to four points on four occasions, including midway through the half. PC answered every time, however, including breaking off an 8-0 run that gave the home side a 12-point advantage with 4:34 left.

David's prowess at the line paid off down the stretch. The senior guard converted from the line nine times in the final stanza, including shots that extended PC's lead from five to its final count of eight in the final minute.