WORCESTER - Hannah Martin (North Andover, MA/North Andover) tallied a game-best 20 points as nationally-ranked Smith opened the NEWMAC portion of its schedule with a 61-51 victory over WPI on Saturday afternoon inside Harrington Auditorium. 

The Pioneers, who are ranked No. 8 in the most recent D3hoops.com Top 25, move to 13-1 for just the fourth time in program history, joining the 2019-20, 2021-22, and 2022-23 squads. WPI dips to 7-8 on the season and 0-1 in NEWMAC play. 

By the Numbers

• Martin accounted for 20 points, four steals, three assists, and two rebounds
• Jane Loo (Saratoga, CA/Saratoga) finished in double figures with 15 points, six boards, and two assists
• Ally Landau (Livingston, NJ) added nine points, four rebounds, three assists, and three steals
• Smith shot 39.7% (23-of-58) from the floor, 25% (4-of-16) from three-point range, and 68.8% (11-of-16) from the free throw line
• The Engineers held a 34-33 edge on the glass and shot 44.2% (23-of-52) from the field

Game Highlights

• Smith jumped out to an early lead when Loo banked a three-pointer to open the game and Martin scored back-to-back layups to go ahead 11-2 at 3:44. However, the Engineers fought back with consecutive baskets, but Smith held a 17-12 lead going into the second.
• WPI cut the deficit to just one at 17-16 after layups in the first two minutes. Smith responded with a burst of offense, netting three field goals to push their lead to 26-18 with 4:22 remaining in the half. The Engineers closed the gap to four with 3:32 remaining, however, Smith ended the half strong with a second-chance bucket by Lena Lipani (Penfield, NY/Penfield), taking a 31-23 lead into the locker room.
• Both teams traded layups to being the third. Smith then seized control with a 14-2 run sparked by a Martin steal leading to a driving layup, and Loo added a corner three and free throws, extending the lead to 42-27 at the 6:34 mark. Free throws by Uta Nakamura (Manhattan, NY/Long Island Lutheran) pushed the lead to 20 at the end of the third
• The Engineers made a late push in the fourth quarter, outscoring Smith 18-8

Up Next
Smith hosts Babson College on Wednesday, January 22 at 7:00pm inside Ainsworth Gymnasium. 

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, and  Instagram.