WORCESTER, Mass. - Senior Lauren Bondi (Burnaby, BC, Can./Notre Dame Secondary) (Burnaby, BC) became Smith's all-time leader in made 3-pointers and finished with a game-best 23 points in a 68-48 road triumph over WPI in a NEWMAC women's basketball matchup Tuesday night in Harrington Auditorium. With the win, the Pioneers up their record to 9-4 overall and 3-3 in NEWMAC contests while the Engineers dip to 7-6 and 2-4.

Bondi, who also accumulated a game-high four steals, drained the go-ahead triple from the wing with just under eight minutes left in the second half. First-year Katelyn Pickunka (Westhampton, Mass./Hampshire) (Westhampton, MA) added 15 points and senior Katy McClellan (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra Area) (Palmyra, PA) hauled in a team-best eight rebounds. Senior Kennedy Guest-Pritchett (Fairburn, Ga./The Lawrenceville School) (Fairburn, GA), who entered the game leading the NEWMAC in rebounds and is second in points per game, was held to four points and zero boards to go with a Smith-best three assists.

Senior Alyssa Paul (Schaghticoke, NY) netted a career-best 16 points, followed by freshman Alex Scariati (Scotch Plains, NJ) with a new career-high of eight points. Junior Spencer Vinson (Los Angeles, CA) and freshman Victoria Mirecki (Rock Tavern, NY) also scored eight for the Engineers. Both Scariati and Vinson (9 rebounds) did not commit a turnover on the night.

It was a 47-41 game in favor of the guests heading into the fourth quarter. Bondi then capped a 9-0 run that put the Pioneers advantage into double-digits for the remainder of the contest.

With the game tied at 9-9, sophomore Caitlin Boermeester (Billerica, MA) and Scariati each sank a 3-pointer and Vinson hit a pair of free throws for a team-best eight-point advantage with 1:07 left in the first.

After WPI went up by seven following a triple by Paul, Smith cut it to one with a three by first-year Dashelle Gleissner (Los Angeles, Calif./Serra) (Los Angeles, CA) and a traditional three-point by Bondi prior to the intermission. With 8:06 left in the third, Pickunka hit the final go-ahead layup for the guests.


GAME NOTES

• Bondi passed Rosa Drummond (2010-2014) to become Smith's all-time leader in three-point field goals.
• The Pioneers improve to 19-28 against the Engineers in the all-time series.
• Smith shot 80 percent in the third and 61.5 percent in the final frame.
•  In all, Smith enjoyed a 38-8 margin in the paint, 24-8 off turnovers as its reserves scored 26 of the game's 36 bench points.

UP NEXT
Smith returns to the hardwood on Saturday, January 12 when the Pioneers host Wellesley College for a NEWMAC contest starting at 2:00 p.m.

(Recap courtesy to WPI Athletics)

About Smith Athletics: Smith College is a NCAA Division III member of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference that sponsors 11 intercollegiate sports. For more information log on to smithpioneers.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.