DENTON, Texas (Nov. 29) – Despite having four players score nine or more points and outrebounding the much bigger Lubbock Christian team, the Pioneers suffered a 58-53 loss Wednesday night in Kitty Magee Arena.
 
TWU held the Lady Chaps to 22 points under their season average as LCU came into the game averaging 80.8 points per game.  The Pioneers also forced 18 turnovers but shot just 28.6 percent from the floor as they dropped to 4-3 on the season.
 
Senior Ria Pateraki and sophomore Emily Spector led TWU with 11 points each while seniors Barbara-Scott Kolb and Toree Mason added nine points apiece for the Pioneers.  Pateraki also led the Pioneers with nine rebounds while senior Ashley Salazar and junior Danielle Westerfield had seven boards each.  Pateraki added a game-high five steals
 
The Pioneers jumped out to an early 7-2 lead before LCU went on a 19-6 run to take an eight-point lead.  TWU cut their deficit to three points a jumper by Sepctor and a three-pointer by Kolb but the Lady Chaps pushed it back to an eight-point lead at the break. 
 
In the second half, the Pioneers trailed by 12 points with six minutes to go in the game before using 13-5 run to cut the deficit to four points.  LCU pushed the lead back to seven on a three-point play on its next position.  TWU cut it to five points on two free throws by Spector and stole the ball with 15 seconds remaining but could not score.  
 
"They played a lot of zone and we did not get to the free-throw line as much as we needed to," said TWU head coach Beth Jillson.  "We played great defense and outrebounded them.  We did lot of good things but struggled shooting the ball."
 
The Pioneers will return to action when they close out their six-game home stand against UT-Permian Basin on Saturday, Dec. 6.  Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. and all fans that bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate to the "Toys for Tots" program will receive free admission.