The Malone University women's basketball team outscored Tiffin University 47-29 while shooting 69.6% from the floor in the second half to pull away for a 79-64 road win Thursday at Tiffin.
 
Entering the game with identical 6-16 records, the two teams played expectedly close in the opening frame as neither squad led by more than five points. Malone led 5-0 early thanks to a three-pointer by junior guard Rachel Goddard and a bucket by senior Bri Libertore. Tiffin took its own five-point advantage on an 18-8 run before Tara Schaffter drilled a three-ball that made it 18-16. Tiffin would close out the quarter up 21-17.
 
Malone junior Mackenzie Storlie, a Tiffin transfer, opened the second-quarter scoring with a triple before the Dragons used a 7-0 stretch that gave them their largest lead of the game at 28-20. The Pioneers used their own 7-0 run to cut the deficit to 28-27. Tiffin answered with a 7-1 run before back-to-back buckets, including a buzzer-beating jumper by Goddard, left Malone down 35-32 heading into the half.
 
A baseline jumper by Bri Libertore sparked the Pioneers to a 16-2 run, fueled by two treys apiece from freshman Chrissie Vaughan and senior Tara Schaffter, that gave Malone a 48-37 edge. Two three-pointers by Tiffin's Ali Schirmer cut the lead to 49-43 before Goddard drilled Malone's fifth three of the quarter. A Libertore layup closed the third-quarter scoring with the Pioneers ahead 56-48 going into the final stanza.
 
A pair of layups from Naomi Grandison and a corner trey from Alaina Schwarz put the Pioneers up 65-50 with 6:50 left in the 4th quarter. A pair of free throws from Schwarz later in the quarter would put Malone up 74-54 and give the Pioneers their largest lead of the game and their largest in conference play this year. The Pioneers would hang on for the 79-64 victory, giving them their second GLIAC win in three games and their fourth on the season.

Malone Individual Highlights:

• Rachel Goddard recorded game-highs with 19 points and 7 assists...in four career games against Tiffin, Goddard has averaged 19.5 points 
• Bri Libertore was one point shy of tying a career high as the senior recorded her 4th career double-double with 15 points and a game-high 14 rebounds
• Fellow senior Tara Schaffter was 3-of-3 from beyond the arc and finished with 15 tallies of her own
• Coming in ranked 4th in the GLIAC with 51 threes, Chrissie Vaughan knocked down three more treys and added 13 points

Tiffin Individual Highlights:

• Junior guard Kaylee Patton led the Dragons with 18 points
• Freshman guard Ali Schirmer contributed 16 points
• Freshman guard Allie Miller added 10 points

Game Highlights:

• The 47 second-half points was the second most for Malone this season...the Pioneers scored 48 against Ashland
• In the final two quarters, Malone was 16-of 23 (69.6%) from the floor and 7-of-9 (77.8%) from three-point range
• The Pioneers had their best shooting night of the season overall, knocking down 27-of-50 shot attempts (54.0%) and 11-of-20 from deep (55.0%)
• Malone held a decisive 33-22 edge on the glass

Up Next:

• The Pioneers (7-16, 4-14 GLIAC) will return home this Saturday, February 13th to take on Ohio Dominican (18-6, 13-5 GLIAC) at 1:00 pm. Preview notes are available here.