Box Score CLAREMONT, Ca. --- The Transylvania University Women's basketball team finished up their west coast road trip with their second game in three days as they took the court against the Athena's of Claremont-Mudd-Scripts.
After the Athena's jumped out to an early 5-0 lead, Transylvania found the early game adjustment they needed and tied the game on consecutive Katelyn Smith baskets and a Rachel Cox free throw. The teams would trade baskets over the course of the next six minutes until Kristen Hayes would reel off five straight points to push the Pioneers out to an early lead of 18-14, a score that would stand to end the first quarter.
Hayes and Smith would continue with the hot hand in the second quarter as both found success getting to the hoop. Hayes added 8 points in a flurry of shots, with Smith tacking on an addition six. The Pioneers would push the lead out to as many as eleven before the Athena's started their rally. Claremont would go an 8-0 run to close the gap with the Pioneers over the course of the final minutes of the second half to pull within one at the break, 31-30.
Shawn Kolani would open up the third quarter with a three pointer followed by a Hayes basket to push the Pioneers out to a six point lead just two minutes into the quarter, but Claremont would answer with back-to-back threes to tie it up at 36-36. The teams would trade baskets over the remaining four minutes until Claremont would get a basket to close out the quarter with a 45-43 lead going into the final quarter.
The fourth would bring excitement and heartache for the Pioneers as the Athena's would inch out to a four point lead and hold it over the course of the final frame. Katelyn Smith scored eight points in the quarter and would score Transylvania's final four points to tie the game 54-54 with: 15 seconds left. After a Claremont timeout with: 07 seconds remaining, they would find an opening and score with no time remaining to win the game, 55-53.
Katelyn Smith led the Pioneers with 18 points and four rebounds, followed by Kristen Hayes who added 17 points and four rebounds. Rachel Cox grabbed a team high 11 rebounds. The Pioneers (1-1) will return to action when they visit regional rival Berea College on November 24th. Tipoff is set for 6:00p.m.
