A season-high point total not enough as Fighting Muskies hold off Lady Pioneers, 79-75
Freshmen Cline and Poling each score career highs

Feb. 7, 2007
MARIETTA, Ohio — Despite a season-high scoring output, the Marietta College women's basketball team suffered its 15th straight Ohio Athletic Conference loss, falling 79-75 to rival Muskingum College Wednesday (Feb. 7) evening on Fenton Court. [Box Score]

The win improves Muskingum's record to 6-16 overall and 4-11 in the OAC. Marietta falls to 2-20, 0-15 in league play. It is the first time in the program's 33-year history that it has lost 20 games in a season.

For only the third time this season and first since December 2, four Pioneers scored double figures in the game. Junior Justine Pagenhardt (Oakland, Md./Southern Garrett), who was honored before the game for joining Marietta's 1,000-point club, finished with a team high 24 points. Both freshmen Shawntae Cline (Belpre) and Tara Poling (Lancaster/Fairfield Union) had career-high scoring nights. Cline, who added seven boards, totaled 19 points, while Poling collected 10. In addition, freshman Jamie Beckett (Wooster/Triway) pitched in with 14 points and eight boards. Pagenhardt, Cline and Poling all added three assists in the loss.

Marietta finished the night shooting 25-of-52 (.481) from the floor, including 9-of-20 (.450) from long range. The Pioneers also connected on 16-of-21 (.762) from the line, turned the ball over 18 times and out rebounded the Fighting Muskies 31-28. Muskingum shot 28-of-59 (.475) from the field, 8-of-18 (.444) from beyond the arc and 15-of-18 (.833) from the line. It had 16 turnovers in the win.

Jessica McKenzie, the OAC's leading scorer, paced the Muskies with a game-high 25 points to go along with seven rebounds. Elizabeth Guinsler added 19 points and Tiffany Youel scored 14 points.

Muskingum opened the game on a 9-0 run and led 17-2 after the first 9:33. A lay-up by Cline cut the lead to nine points, 17-8, with 8:26 left in the half, but Muskingum scored on its next possession and led by double digits the rest of the half, taking a 36-24 advantage into intermission.

A 11-4 Pioneer run in the first 3:30 of the second half closed the gap to 40-35. Marietta was within four points, 46-42, after Poling hit one-of-two from the line with 14:24 to play. Unfortunately, Muskingum followed it up with a 20-7 run over the next 6:56 to build a commanding 66-51 lead with 7:30 left in the game.

The Muskies still led by 13 points, 72-59, at the 2:24 mark of the final half, only for the Pioneers to battle back within two points, 77-75, with just over six seconds remaining. Marietta could not get any closer, as Muskingum's Guinsler nailed two from the line to seal the game.

Marietta returns to action Saturday (Feb. 10) when it plays host to John Carroll in game one of a men's and women's Winter Weekend doubleheader. The Lady Pioneers will tip-off at 1 p.m. and the men will follow at 3:30 p.m. A women's basketball alumni game is also scheduled for this weekend. It will take place Friday at 8:30 p.m. All former Pioneers are encouraged to attend and participate.

Freshman Shawntae Cline scored a career-high 19 points Wednesday

Box Score