Allie Rooney ’16
Contributing Writer
This past Saturday, Feb. 22, the Smith College basketball team made history, and in more than one way. In their last regular season game against Emerson College, the Pioneers earned a victory and their first ever outright regular season title in program history. In addition, the Pioneers clinched the top seed for the NEWMAC Women’s Basketball Championship, accompanied by the opportunity to host the semifinals and finals.
Saturday’s game was won by an 81–68 margin. Senior captains Rosa Drummond ’14 and Sydney Parkmond ’14 each scored 15 points for the Pioneers. Alyssa Barrett ’15 and Jazmine Collins ’17 both came off the bench for the Pioneers and contributed eight points apiece. Jade Chihara ’17, who is currently the only first-year starter for the Pioneers, added six points and three steals.
Paulina Solis ’15 also made history for the Pioneers on Saturday. She scored a game high of 16 points and became the 11th athlete to reach the 1,000-point milestone, joining Drummond, who also attained this accolade as a junior.
The Pioneers finished their season with an overall record of 15–10 and 15–5 in NEWMAC play. The fact that the Pioneers were able to overcome their early season losses and finish on top of their conference shows much about the team’s attitude and mindset. Solis said, “This past Saturday was definitely a historical moment for Smith basketball. Our team showed resilience and determination to finish the season strong and secure a conference title. I’m so proud of everyone. I’m extremely excited to see what the next couple weeks will bring.”
The Pioneers will be hosting the NEWMAC tournament and have a first-round bye. They will play against the winner of #4 Wellesley College and #5 Babson College on Saturday, March 1, at 1 p.m.
