CLINTON, S.C. - A pair of three-point baskets by Carley Plentovich in the span of 34 seconds pulled the Gardner-Webb women's basketball team within three points of Presbyterian with 38 seconds remaining, but a last-second attempt by Tierra Huntsman would be no good as the Runnin' Bulldogs would fall to the Blue Hose by a 72-69 score on Tuesday evening.
 
Gardner-Webb (12-5, 2-3 Big South) trailed Presbyterian (5-11, 2-3 Big South) by as many as thirteen points after a three pointer by Kacie Hall with 4:18 to go set the score at 67-54.
 
GWU answered with seven consecutive points to trim its deficit to six points with 2:11 remaining after a three-pointer by Plentovich.  She finished the evening with a game-high 24 points, setting a new career high on 7-of-14 shooting, including 4-of-9 from long distance.  The sophomore guard was also a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line.
 
PC would increase its lead back to nine points on a layup by Janie Miles with 1:26 left, setting up the finish.
 
Gardner-Webb shot just 35.4 percent (23-of-65) for the evening, while Presbyterian made 43.9 percent (25-of-57) of their attempts from the floor.
 
Plentovich's career-best 24 points led the Runnin' Bulldogs, while Alexus Hill had 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting, and Ky'Asia Stanford added 13 points on a 6-of-11 performance to round out GWU's top offensive performers.
 
Presbyterian was led by Hall, who had 20 points on 6-of-16 shooting, including 5-of-12 from three-point range.  Macee Tamminen had a career-high 18 points, and Miles had 15 points.
 
Gardner-Webb would score on its opening possession as Alexus Hill knocked down a mid-range jumper, yet the Blue Hose would answer with a four-point play by Kacie Hall to take a 4-2 lead with 8:31 on the clock.
 
The two teams would trade baskets for the remainder of the first period, with GWU tying the game twice, with PC answering each time to reclaim the lead.  Savannah Plentovich scored the final basket of the quarter on a layup with 37 seconds left to pull GWU within one point at 14-13.
 
Presbyterian would expand its lead to as many as five points early in the second period after a layup by Macee Tamminen set the score at 21-16 with 6:44, but a three-point basket by Carley Plentovich with 5:55 remaining sparked a Gardner-Webb run, with the Runnin' Bulldogs scoring ten unanswered points over the next 2:58 to lead by a 26-21 margin.
 
The Blue Hose answered with a 5-0 spurt to tie the game with 2:31 to go, yet the Runnin' Bulldogs would once again connect for the final basket of the period as Hill would knock down a long-range basket to give GWU a 29-26 lead at halftime. 
 
Action would be back-and-forth throughout the third period, as there would be five lead changes and five ties in the 10-minute quarter.  Presbyterian would lead by two points after a driving layup by Cortney Storey with 44 seconds on the clock,  yet GWU would tie game at 45-45 after a pair of free throws by Plentovich.  A last-second three pointer by Riley Hemm would give Presbyterian a 48-45 advantage as play headed into the final period.
 
Gardner-Webb returns home for its next contest, hosting Charleston Southern on Saturday, January 20 at 3:00 pm.  The game will be broadcast live on the Big South Network (www.bigsouthsports.com).