The Malone University women's basketball team canned six first-quarter three-pointers, including three on its first three possessions, en route to a 55-48 win over visiting Davis & Elkins College Thursday evening in Osborne Hall.
 
With the win, Malone improved to 7-11 on the season and 5-7 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. The Senators of D&E dropped to 4-13 on the year and 3-9 in league play.
 
Recap
Chrissie Vaughan, Robin Campbell, and Paiten Strother all netted early triples as the Pioneers raced out to a 9-0 lead less than two minutes into the contest. Over the next six minutes, Ellen Doyle got into the three-point shooting act with a pair of treys before another deep ball by Strother and a fastbreak layup by Sydney Wentling gave the Pioneers a 20-11 lead at the end of one quarter.
 
While the torrid shooting pace slowed considerably in the second quarter, Malone managed to increase its lead to as many as 17 points in the frame and eventually led 34-19 at the half. Naomi Grandison scored seven second-quarter points while the Pioneer defense limited the Senators to just three made baskets and eight points in the period.
 
The Malone defense held Davis & Elkins scoreless over the first four minutes of the third quarter and saw its lead stretched to its largest of the game, a 19-point margin (38-19) with 5:50 remaining. It took just two minutes for the visitors to trim their deficit to 11, but Vaughan countered with a neutralizing three-pointer to stop a 10-2 run.
 
After going into the fourth quarter up 48-34, the Pioneers were kept off the scoreboard until the 4:36 mark, but Malone stepped up to the challenge on the defensive end. The Senators came within seven points on three different occasions, but each time were throttled as Malone went on to earn its fifth conference victory.
 
Game Highlights
-Malone finished 10-of-25 (40%) from three-point range. It was the fifth time this season the Pioneers hit 10 or more threes, all five times they went on to win.
-In total, Malone shot 22-for-54 (40.7%) while the Senators were held to just 32.2% (19-of-59) shooting and a 4-for-17 (23.5%) effort from three.
-The Pioneers forced 14 turnovers and tallied 10 steals, their second-most in a game this season.
-Malone also blocked seven shots, the most in two seasons.
-Davis & Elkins outrebounded Malone 43-32 and grabbed 16 offensive boards resulting in an 18-6 advantage in second-chance points.
 
Malone Individual Highlights
-Robin Campbell knocked down three triples and finished with a team-high 13 points. She added eight assists, and three steals.
-Chrissie Vaughan totaled 10 points, nine rebounds, and a career-high four blocked shots. In the victory, Vaughan also became the 26th player in Malone history to reach 900 career points.
-Naomi Grandison finished with nine points and a pair of steals.
-Paiten Strother chipped in with eight points (3-4 FG, 2-2 3PT), three assists, and two steals.
-Ellen Doyle contributed seven points, a game-high 10 rebounds, and three assists.
-Freshman forward Madison Hunter blocked three shots.
 
Davis & Elkins Individual Highlights
-Kali Wilburn posted a game-high 19 points.
-Sydney Nestor came off the bench to score 12 points and grab a team-high six rebounds.
 
Up Next
Malone will go for its second straight win this Saturday, January 26th at 1:00 pm at home against Alderson Broaddus.