Box Score NORTHAMPTON, Mass. – First-year Samantha Alakai (Honolulu, Hawaii/Punahou School) scored a game-high 20 points but it wasn't enough for the Pioneers as the visiting Babson College Beavers ran to a 71-64 victory in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play Saturday afternoon.

Babson improves to 16-7 overall and 12-3 in the NEWMAC while Smith slips to 7-15 overall and 3-10 in the conference.

Sophomore Jennifer Narlee (Medfield, Mass.) finished with 15 points, fellow sophomore Taylor Russell (Braintree, Mass.) added 11 points, while junior Linnett Graber (Roseland, N.J.) had eight points and a game-high nine rebounds in the win.

Alakai led Smith with a game-high 20 points to go with six rebounds and three assists while classmate Paige Marquez (San Francisco, Calif./Saint Ignatius College Preparatory) finished with 14 points. First-year Meghan Holland (Atherton, Calif./Sacred Heart Prepatory) added nine points, and fellow first-year Amanda Barriscale (Mill Valley, Calif./Tamalpais) grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.

Marquez's third-straight pull up jumper from the top of the key tied the contest, 10-10 with 14:14 left in the first half, but Babson took the lead for good, 12-10 on a lay-up by Ferola with 12:29 left in the first stanza, and led 38-30 at the half.

The Pioneers opened the second half on a 13-7 run, cutting Babson's lead to 45-43 on a three-pointer by sophomore Mandy Castro (San Diego, Calif./Poway) with 14:53 left in the game.

Babson, however, regained control scoring nine straight points, three by junior Kristen Ferola (Amherst, Mass.), to increase their lead to 54-43 with 8:32 left.

The Pioneers trailed 66-56 with 1:14 left following a missed free-throw by Pickering. Junior Tia Karapoulios (Cypress, Calif./Cypress), who had just entered the game, banked in a three from the top of the key to cut Smith's deficit to seven.

After Pickering again missed the back end of a pair of free throws, Alakai sank her fourth three-pointer of the contest to draw Smith to within five (67-62) with 38 seconds to play. Castro immediately stole the ensuing inbounds pass and laid it in to make it a one possession game (67-64) with 34 seconds to play.

The Beavers silenced the crowd by sinking their next four free-throws to clinch the win and sweep the season series from the Pioneers.

Babson shot 41.0 percent from the floor (25-of-61) while making 4-of-9 from behind the arc. Smith was 25-of-59 (42.4 percent) from the field and made 10-of-24 attempts from 3-point range.

The Beavers are back in action Thursday when they host Salem State for a 7 p.m. game. The Pioneers host the Cougars of Clark University Monday night at 7 p.m.