Lexington, Ky. – Senior guard Shawn Kolani netted a team-high 19 points to culminate a successful Senior Day game for her and three other teammates at the Beck Center as the Transylvania Pioneers women's basketball team won over Manchester University, 84-74 in their last game of the regular season.

Kolani added six assists to her performance and was followed closely in scoring by freshman guard Celia Kline with 18 points and senior guard Katelyn Smith with 17 points. Kline also pitched in on the defensive side with two steals while Smith recorded one takeaway of her own, giving the Pioneers a team total of eight steals.

Transy capitalized on the emotion of a stirring senior game introduction by quickly posting double-digit points on the board before the Spartans even made their first shot for an 11-0 start. After two back-to-back 3-pointers from Kolani, Transylvania led 17-7 midway through the first quarter. The Pioneers enjoyed their largest lead of the game, building a 13-point advantage with just a little over a minute left in the first 10 minutes of play.

The Spartans, however, outscored Transylvania in the second quarter that featured an early run of eight unanswered points by the visitors. Manchester continued to narrow the difference as play continued and entered halftime down only six points with a scoreboard that read 46-40.

Manchester sustained their second quarter production and outscored Transylvania in the third quarter, eventually taking their first lead of the game 51-50 at the 5:35 minute mark. The Spartans lead never grew beyond three points, and Transy soon responded.

With her team trailing by a point, Kline scored the first four points of the final quarter and Smith dropped in the next four for Transylvania to give the home team the lead again. Kline and Smith carried the Pios for the rest of the game with a combined 18 points between the two in the fourth quarter.

Kolani contributed with four late, critical points as well, all coming from the free throw line. Transy nailed seven of their last eight attempts from the line in the final 1:07 of the game to put the contest out of reach and secure a ten-point victory.

The win complimented a special day in which four seniors were recognized and honored. Guard Lindsay Hieronymus, Kolani, guard Ali Moreland, and Smith were all joined on the court prior to the game by their families and friends to celebrate their college careers.   

Transylvania finishes their regular season with a conference record of 14-4, good for a third place tie with Franklin, and an overall count of 18-7. With all prior tiebreakers still leaving Franklin neck-and-neck, a coin toss was conducted after the conclusion of all women's games on Saturday, which was won by Franklin, thus giving the Grizzlies the three seed and the Pioners the four seed.

Seeded fourth in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament, the Pioneers are set to play fifth place Mount St. Joseph in the opening round at the Beck Center this Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.             

The Pioneers won both of their previous meetings 82-72 and 66-62 with the Mount St. Joseph Lions earlier this season. Should Transy advance, they would face first place Bluffton at Bluffton University in the semifinals on Friday at 6:00 p.m.

For all of the tournament action and the latest on Transylvania women's basketball, follow the team on twitter @TUWBX