The Malone University women's basketball team survived a scare in its Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) debut Tuesday evening at Alderson Broaddus University (WV). The Pioneers fought off a tremendous comeback effort by the aptly-named Battlers before holding on late for the 77-70 road victory. With the win, Head Coach Rick Tice's team improved to 8-4 on the season and 5-2 away from home.

Neither team could assert itself in a somewhat ugly first quarter in which the two squads combined for just six field goals on 29 shot attempts. The Battlers, who came into the contest giving up more points per game than all but one team in the nation (88.1 ppg), held Malone to a pair of layups from Alaina Schwarz and Holly Groff and a Dani Drayer three-pointer in the final seconds of the period. The Pioneers were, however, a perfect 6-for-6 at the free throw line and took a 13-10 lead into the second stanza.

The shots that were rimming out early started to fall for Malone in the second quarter. Back-to-back jumpers from Baylen Dyrlund and Rachel Goddard put the Pioneers up 17-10. A Dyrlund layup following an AB free throw made it 19-11. The Battlers cut the deficit to 21-18 midway through but Naomi Grandison answered with a corner three to give Malone a six-point cushion that would increase to 11 by halftime.

After a slow first quarter in which they shot just 23.1% (3-13), the Pioneers connected on 9-of-16 (56.3%) second-quarter field goals and led 35-24 at the intermission. Drayer, who has been making a habit of drilling three balls late in quarters, drained another one in the closing seconds just before half.

The Malone lead, which climbed to as high as 12 in the first half, swelled to as many as 19 points in the opening minutes of the third quarter. A Hannah McCue three-pointer and an Alaina Schwarz and-1 opportunity highlighted an 8-0 run that gave Malone a 43-24 lead before Alderson Broaddus began to mount its comeback with 7:55 left in the third.

The Battlers narrowed the gap to 50-38 before a nifty Rachel Goddard put-back layup made it 52-38 with 2:15 remaining in the quarter. The Battlers closed the period with a furious 12-3 rally over the final 1:49 and trailed by just five points (55-50) heading into the final frame.

A jumper by AB's Ta'Sharra Jeffries cut the lead to a single possession at 55-52 in the first minute of the fourth quarter. Following a pair of Malone free throws, the Battlers cut the lead three points again before a Dyrlund layup made it 59-54. A three-pointer by Jeffries made it a two-point game at 59-57, but the senior leadership of the Pioneers took over from that point and willed Malone to victory.

Seniors Rachel Goddard, Hannah McCue, and Mackenzie Storlie combined for 16 of the Pioneers' final 18 points. A resilient Alderson Broaddus squad refused to go away, bouncing back from a 70-60 deficit to cut it as close to four at 74-70 with 33 ticks to play. But it was Malone, now winners of six straight overall including five straight on the road, who held tough and never relinquished the lead in its first-ever G-MAC victory.

Game Highlights
-The Pioneers made a season-low six three-pointers and shot a season-low 22.2% (6-27) from three-point range
-Malone shot a season-high, however, at the charity stripe, making 89.3% (25-28) of their free throw attempts
-The Pioneers forced a season-low eight turnovers while committing 13 of their own.
-Alderson Broaddus held a 15-8 advantage in points off turnovers and a 30-26 edge in points in the paint. The Battlers' bench outscored Malone's 36-19.
-Malone held a slim 41-39 rebounding advantage and out-shot AB 41.8% (23-55) to 36.2% (25-69)
 
Malone Individual Highlights
-Rachel Goddard scored nine of her game-high 21 points in the fourth quarter where she was 7-of-8 at the line. She finished 13-for-14 (92.9%) at the line. Goddard added eight rebounds and handed out seven assists while turning it over just one time.
-Hannah McCue recorded her seventh double-double of the season, totaling 17 points and a season-high 14 rebounds. After scoring just four points in the first half, McCue scored 13 in the pivotal second half.
-Baylen Dyrlund chipped in with 10 points and corralled six rebounds
-Alaina Schwarz also posted 10 points, reaching double digits for the second time this season.
-Dani Drayer and Naomi Grandison each scored six points off the bench. Mackenzie Storlie added three assists and a timely blocked shot.
 
Alderson Broaddus Individual Highlights
-Lorin Clark scored a team-high 13 points while distributing six assists and recording two steals.
-Devyn Bonner added 12 points off the bench
-Danielle Franklin (3-5 3 PT) tallied 11 points and a pair of steals

Up Next:
Malone will make its first home appearance of the calendar year this Saturday, January 7th against Davis & Elkins. The conference matchup is scheduled to tip at 1:00 pm.