In the first NCAA Division III basketball game played this season, the Piedmont women's basketball team won a hard-fought battle, 71-69, over Transylvania on Friday night at an empty Cave Arena.
 
Trailing by as many as nine points in the first half and five points in the final quarter, the Lady Lions (1-0) held tough in the final minutes to emerge victorious over the Pioneers (0-1), who have lost only three games in each of the past two seasons.
 
Picking up where she left off from an incredible freshman season, forward NAKIYAH WASHINGTON led Piedmont with 20 points, six rebounds and three steals. LIVIA SKINNER, a junior transfer from North Georgia, delivered 15 points, six rebounds and five assists, playing all 40 minutes in the victory.
 
Sophomore HOPE FRANKLIN, after not playing for the Lady Lions a season ago, returned with a remarkable 6-of-7 shooting performance for 14 points and seven rebounds in just 18 minutes of action while freshman point guard LU WOOLFOLK led all players with seven assists.
 
The Lady Lions jumped out to a quick 6-2 lead in the first quarter before the Pioneers rebounded to take the lead midway through the period. Transylvania scored 10 of its 19 first quarter points from the free throw line, not missing a single time from the stripe to take a 19-16 edge to the second.
 
The second quarter was a defensive struggle for both teams as the Pioneers were able to slightly extend their lead. Piedmont was held to just eight points in the quarter and trailed, 31-24, going into the locker room. Washington led the Lady Lions with 12 points and six rebounds.
 
Piedmont used its defense to create offense in a furious start to the third quarter. The Lady Lions scored the first eight points of the quarter to retake the lead at 32-31. Washington added eight more points in the quarter as the Lady Lion offense exploded for 26 points to take a 50-47 lead going into the final quarter.
 
Transylvania grabbed the momentum early in the fourth with an 8-0 run over the first two minutes. From there, the game was back-and-forth the rest of the way with neither side leading by more than five points.
 
Freshman LAUREN SWANSON scored her first collegiate points, knocking down a huge three-pointer off a feed from Washington to put Piedmont up, 64-63, with under four minutes to play.
 
Trailing by a point with just under two minutes left, the Lady Lions retook the lead for good on a MAKAYLA SCHYMANSKI layup. Less than a minute later, HOPE FRANKLIN's layup off Woolfolk's seventh assist of the night gave Piedmont a 70-67 edge with just over a minute left.
 
Although the Pioneers were able to cut their deficit to 70-69 on their next possession, Woolfolk responded with a trip to the free throw line, knocking down 1-of-2 to increase the Piedmont lead to two before coming up with the game-sealing steal as Transylvania's attempt to tie or take the lead in the final seconds came up short.
 
Up next, Piedmont will have Saturday off before hosting East Texas Baptist this Sunday, Nov. 8 at 1 p.m. Transylvania will battle East Texas Baptist at Cave Arena tomorrow at 2 p.m.