BLUEFIELD, Va. – Bluefield University women's basketball opened Wednesday night's Appalachian Athletic Conference matchup with strong perimeter shooting and an early lead, but Pikeville used a dominant second quarter to pull away in a 76–42 decision inside The Dome.
The Rams came out sharp in the opening period. Zoey Snavely knocked down a three-pointer just seconds after Pikeville scored first, and Maddie Day followed with a triple from the wing to give Bluefield a 6–2 advantage. Day added a jumper midway through the quarter, and Snavely connected on another three at the 5:05 mark to stretch the lead to 11–6. Elle Gunter added a layup inside, and J'Maia Joseph finished a fast-break opportunity late in the period as Bluefield carried a 17–12 lead after one.
The momentum shifted in the second quarter. After Day converted three free throws to push the Rams ahead 20–14, Pikeville responded with a 23–0 run over a four-minute stretch. Bluefield struggled to find rhythm offensively, shooting 1-of-15 in the period, as Pikeville built a 42–22 halftime advantage.
BU battled in the third quarter behind its perimeter shooting. Charli Wynn opened the scoring with a three-pointer off a Day assist, and Snavely added a pair of free throws. Ashanti Northcross scored on a midrange jumper, and Day connected on back-to-back three-pointers in the final three minutes of the quarter to trim the margin to 57–35 entering the fourth.
In the final period, Joseph provided energy off the bench with a pair of layups, and Gunter knocked down a three from the left wing to cut the deficit to 17 early in the quarter. Despite the push, Pikeville capitalized on second-chance opportunities and closed the game with consistent scoring in the paint.
Day led Bluefield with 14 points, hitting three three-pointers. Snavely added 10 points on 2-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc, while Gunter finished with five points, four rebounds, and three assists. Northcross contributed four points and four steals, and Joseph chipped in six points off the bench.
BU returns to action Saturday, traveling to Montreat for a 2:00 p.m. tipoff.
