Springfield, Mass. - February 4, 2015 - Senior forward Jaimie Bickelhaupt (Brookfield, Conn.) became the 15th player in Springfield College women's basketball program history to eclipse the 1000-point plateau, as the Pride defeated Smith College, 56-52 on Wednesday evening in Blake Arena.

With the win, Springfield improves to 15-6 on the season and 10-2 in conference play, while Smith falls to 6-13 overall and 2-8 in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC). Entering the contest ranked No. 7 in the country in field-goal percentage defense, Springfield held Smith to 20-of-49 (40.8%) from the field, while the Pride shot 20-of-48 (41.7%) on the evening.

Bickelhaupt posted her eleventh double-double of the season, scoring 15 points and registering 11 rebounds, while junior guard Heather Lewis (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) tallied 13 points and six rebounds in the victory. 

For Smith, Alyssa Barrett (Berlin, Conn.) registered 12 points off the bench, while Amanda Barriscale (Mill Valley, Calif.) posted a team-high six rebounds in the loss.

After a bucket from Riley Fake (Brockport, N.Y.) in transition gave Springfield a 12-10 advantage, Bickelhaupt hit a three-pointer midway through the opening half to notch her 1000th point, and put the Pride up by five.

The Pioneers would close the gap to just one point after a pair of free-throws from freshman guard Samantha Alakai (Honolulu, Hawaii) before Lewis gave the Pride a six-point cushion after scoring five-straight points for Springfield, thus sparking a 9-0 run, putting the Pride up 26-16.

Springfield would take a 29-22 lead into the halftime break after a lay-up from junior forward Emily Gins (Fort Myers, Fla.).

Back-to-back three pointers from Meghan Holland (Atherton, Calif.) cut the Pioneers to within three to begin the second half, but a free-throw from Bickelhaupt, put the Pride up four on the ensuing possession.

After a basket from Lauren Weston (Florence, Mass.) at the 16:21 mark of the second half made it a two-point game, Bickelhaupt again helped the Pride regain its four-point advantage with a pair of free-throws.

Holding a 50-43 lead after back-to-back baskets from freshman forward Heather King (Lebanon, N.H.), Weston converted one of her two free-throws to cut the Pioneers' deficit to six before King's fourth basket of the game to put the Pride up eight.

Lewis then gave the Pride a 54-46 lead after hitting two from the line at the 2:59 mark of the second half, before Jade Chihara (Lahaina, Hawaii) cut Smith's deficit to six with a jumper in transition, forcing a Springfield timeout.

Up 54-50 with under a minute remaining, Weston made it a two-point game with a bucket from underneath the basket, but a bucket from Lewis pushed the Pride's lead back to four with 13 seconds remaining, icing the victory for the Pride.

Up next, Springfield will travel to Emerson for another NEWMAC contest on Saturday, February 7. The game is set for 1 p.m.