TERRE HAUTE, IND. -- Transylvania University overcame a balanced Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology women's basketball scoring attack to claim a 61-56 victory on Saturday.
Olivia Akridge led four Pioneers in double figures with 20 points. Shayla Black scored 16 points, with Holly Milburn adding 13 and Terra Lucas scored 10 for Transylvania.
Freshman Heather Finnell (Decatur, Tenn./Cleveland) (pictured) led the Rose-Hulman scoring attack with 14 points.
Senior Donna Marsh (Mobile, Ala./Baker) and junior Alisa Dickerson (Elizabethtown, Ky.) each had double-doubles for Rose-Hulman. Marsh scored 11 points with 14 rebounds, and Dickerson had 11 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.
Sophomore Lauren Meadows (Indianapolis/Brebeuf) also reached double figures for Seo-Hulman with 10 points. Senior Nicole Klass (Evansville/North) and freshman Kelsey Ploof (Noblesville) contributed five points each.
Rose-Hulman jumped out to an 11-4 lead with 13:06 left in the first half on a score by Ploof. The Engineers maintained a seven-point lead at 15-8 on a score by Meadows.
Transylvania closed within 19-18 late in the first half, before a three-point play and a jumper from Dickerson helped Rose-Hulman lead 24-20 at the break.
In the second half, Transylvania used a 9-0 spurt to gain a 34-29 lead with 14:29 left on two free throws from Akridge. Rose-Hulman rallied to regain the lead at 36-34 on a three-pointer by Finnell at the 10:59 mark.
The score was eventually tied at 39-39, 41-41 and 44-44 on a three-pointer by Finnell at the 7:42 mark. After Transylvania built a three-point lead, Meadows buried a three-pointer and hit one free throw to give Rose-Hulman a 56-54 edge.
Brooke Colliver tied the score at 56-56 on a layup at the 1:36 mark, and Akridge scored to put the Pioneers ahead 58-56 with 1:01 remaining. The Pioneers relied on a missed shot and a free throw from Terra Lucas with 42 seconds to make the score 59-56.
Transylvania forced an Engineer turnover on the next possession, and Akridge sealed the Pioneer victory with two free throws at the 25-second mark.
Transylvania improved to 14-5 on the season and 9-3 in HCAC play, while Rose-Hulman dropped to 6-13 and 4-8 in league games. The Engineers return to action at Earlham College on Wednesday night.