Using a 43.8 shooting percentage from three-point range, the D'Youville women's basketball team beat Clarion, 72-64, and got in the win column on Sunday afternoon at Tippin Gymnasium. The Saints picked up their first victory as a Division II program and moved to 1-3 on the season, while the Golden Eagles fell to 1-2 overall.
Sara Pfeiffer once again drove the Saints offense, dropping 21 points and grabbing eight boards, with the sophomore guard going 7-for-8 from the free-throw line. Junior Danielle Hore nearly picked up a double-double, recording 14 points and nine assists, while sophomore Haley Kirisits also tallied 14 points to give the Saints three players with double-digit scoring. For Clarion, Emily Brown's 12 points paced the host team, while Devon Adams and Abby Gatesman each recorded 10 points and eight rebounds.
D'Youville came out of the gates looking to avenge Saturday's loss, grabbing a 15-10 lead early on before letting Clarion pull even at 17-17 in the final seconds of the first quarter. The Saints then outscored the Golden Eagles 20-11 in the second frame, capping off a 37-28 half that saw Pfeiffer rack up 12 points before the break.
Hore and Kirisits provided the offensive output in the third quarter for D'Youville, with both guards scoring six points. Olivia Boocks' seven points in the third frame helped Clarion keep the deficit close, as the Golden Eagles entered the final quarter down by nine at 56-47. The Saints would not allow the lead to slip away in the fourth, as Pfeiffer made 5-of-6 free throws and sophomore Sarah Wittek came down with eight rebounds in the final quarter alone. Despite a few late turnovers that gave Clarion hope, D'Youville ended up with the 72-64 edge at the final buzzer, earning the weekend split.
Notables: Pfeiffer also paced the Saints with five steals, and was one of four D'Youville players to register a block on Sunday … Pfeiffer's eight rebounds matched her career high … Wittek ended the contest as the leading rebounder with a career-best 12 boards … Wittek's 12 rebounds are the most by a D'Youville player since Hore pulled down 16 boards on Feb. 22, 2020 against Mt. Aloysius … The first quarter saw the Saints grab five of their seven rebounds off the offensive glass … Clarion lost the turnover battle by a 20-14 margin … D'Youville had six total turnovers through the first three quarters … The Saints' largest lead came at 64-47 with 8:37 left in the fourth quarter … Clarion had the clear advantage in depth, as the Golden Eagles got 23 bench points compared to 11 for the Saints.
Up Next: The Saints will return to ECC play on Wednesday, Feb. 3, when the team travels to Roberts Wesleyan for a 7 p.m. tipoff.
