SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (Jan. 25, 2012) – Sophomore forward Rosa Drummond racked up 19 points and nine rebounds to lead the Smith College basketball team to a 70-45 victory over longtime rival Mount Holyoke College this evening at the Mildred S. Howard Gymnasium. The Pioneers outscored their NEWMAC counterparts 37-13 over the final 19 minutes to complete the season sweep.

Three players reached double digits in the scoring column for Mount Holyoke, which converted 33.3% (17-51) of its shots from the field and 72.7% (8-11) of its free throws. First year forward Amber Legare paced the Lyons with 11 points and 10 rebounds for her third career double-double. Meanwhile, junior guard Angelica Pascual knocked down two shots from beyond the arc en route to 14 points. Senior forward Tricia Chase added 11 points for the hosts.

Drummond was joined in double figures by first year guard Maddie Page, who came off the bench to score 15 points. Senior center Ellie Giles finished with seven points and 12 boards. Meanwhile, junior guard Devon Quattrocchi chipped in with eight points. The Pioneers turned 28 Mount Holyoke turnovers into 29 points at the other end. They also outscored the Lyons 46-22 in the paint. As a team, they shot 43.1% (28-65) from the floor and 91.7% (11-12) from the charity stripe.

Neither side led by more than eight points in a first half that featured four ties and six lead changes. After falling behind 10-5 in the early going, Mount Holyoke knotted things up on a three-pointer by Pascual and a layup by Legare. The Lyons enjoyed a 25-24 edge after a conventional three-point play by Chase at the 4:35 mark, but Smith responded with a 9-0 run over the next three minutes to gain control. The Pioneers took a 33-29 advantage into the locker room.

Mount Holyoke sliced the deficit to 33-32 on a three-pointer by senior guard Christine Chancy on the first possession of the second half. From there, it was all Smith. The Pioneers erupted for nine straight points and never looked back. They led by as many as 27 down the stretch.

Both squads will resume their NEWMAC schedules on Saturday. Mount Holyoke (3-14, 1-10 NEWMAC) will visit nationally-ranked Babson College at 1:00 p.m., while Smith (13-4, 8-3 NEWMAC) will host Wheaton College at 2:00 p.m.