MARIETTA, Ohio — The No. 24 Marietta College women's basketball team overcame a slow start and easily defeated Muskingum University, 94-72, Wednesday (Jan. 5) evening in Ban Johnson Arena. The Pioneers improve to 11-1 on the season and 4-1 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. Muskingum slips to 7-5 overall and 2-3 in conference games.

"Muskingum was shorthanded and really outplayed us in the first half," Marietta head coach Kole Vivian said. "In the third period we started rolling a bit more on offense and were able to build a lead. But credit to Muskingum, they played better than we did, we were just fortunate to be at full strength."

The teams traded small lead over the first five minutes of the first quarter. Muskingum went on an 8-0 run to build a nine-point lead, 18-9, with 1:40 left in the opening period. Jill Congrove scored the final five points of the period to cut the Muskie lead to 18-14 heading into the second quarter.

Marietta opened the second period with seven straight points to reclaim the lead, 21-18. Neither team took control of the game as the second quarter saw seven ties and three lead changes. A jumper from Erin Hahn in the final seconds gave the Pioneers a slim 40-38 lead at halftime.

Marietta turned up the intensity in the second half. Hahn started the third quarter with an old-fashioned three-point play triggering a 13-0 Pioneer run. Olivia Gribble drained a pair of three-pointers during the run as the Pioneers never relinquished its double digit lead the rest of the night.

A layup from Makenzie Wilson extended the Marietta lead to 20 points, 72-52, in the final minute of the third quarter. The Pioneers led 72-54 entering the fourth quarter.

Kelly Levering scored a three-point play midway through the fourth quarter to give Marietta its biggest lead of the night, 86-56. The Pioneers cleared their bench soon after and went to post the 94-72 victory.

Congrove led five Pioneers in double figures with 16 points. Gribble and Hannah Schill each scored 15 points, while Levering and Hahn added 11 and 10 points, respectively. Marietta dominated the glass with Hahn grabbing nine rebounds and Schill and Hannah Kroft each pulling down eight boards. Levering finished with seven caroms.

Muskingum's Casey Smith led all scorers with 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Taylor DeMassimo scored 18 points and Leia Smith chipped in with 12 points and six rebounds.

Marietta is back in action on Saturday (Jan. 8) when Wilmington College visits Ban Johnson Arena for a 2 p.m. tip-off.