NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Smith 56,  WPI 39
Records: Pioneers 18-4, 4-3 NEWMAC, Engineers 12-9, 2-4 NEWMAC

NORTHAMPTON, Mass. - Sophomore Dashelle Gleissner (Los Angeles, Calif./Serra) set a new single-game assist record for the Pioneers as the Smith College basketball team topped WPI 56-39 in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) clash Saturday afternoon in Ainsworth Gymnasium.

BY THE NUMBERS

• First-year Amelia Clairmont (Laconia, N.H./New Hampton School) led all players with 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting from long distance
• Sophomore Dashelle Gleissner (Los Angeles, Calif./Serra) finished with a career-high 12 assists to go along with seven points and four rebounds
• Sophomore Katelyn Pickunka (Westhampton, Mass./Hampshire) notched her fourth double-double of the season with 10 points and 12 boards while also adding three blocks and two steals

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Pioneers wasted no time, jumping out 10-0 in the opening 5:44 of the game thanks to six points from Clairmont.
• A bucket from Melanie Presseau got the Engineers on the board at the 4:01 mark but a layup by Morgan Morrison (Detroit, Mich./Detroit Country Day) made the score 18-6 at the end of the quarter.
• WPI closed the gap to nine points on a Victoria Mirecki trey with 3:13 on the clock but Gleissner responded with a three-pointer of her own a minute later to make it 30-18.
• Savage Bailey connected on a three with under a minute in the half to cut Smith's lead to 30-21 going into halftime.
• The Pioneers stretched their lead to 17 (38-21) on a Gleissner free throw, however, the visitors closed out the quarter 9-2 run
• The Engineers stayed within striking distance until an 11-4 run over the final 6:12 of the game clinched it for the Pioneers

GAME NOTES

• Smith improves to 20-28 all-time against WPI
• Gleissner's 12 assists beats the previous mark of 10 set by Meghan Holland (Atherton, Calif./Sacred Heart Prepatory) against Coast Guard on February 8, 2018
• The Pioneers shot 51.1% (23-of-45) from the floor and 56.3% (9-of-16) from three-point range
• The Engineers were 26.4% (14-of-53) from the field and just 15.0% (2-of-20) from behind the arc

UP NEXT
Smith will play its final road game of the regular season Wednesday at Coast Guard at 7:30 p.m.



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.