Lookout Mountain, GA - The Piedmont College women's basketball team had to survive two potential game-tying opportunities in the final minute of tonight's contest at Covenant College, but the Lady Lions were able to hold on for a 56-53 win over the USA South foe.  

The win snapped a three-game losing skid by PC with all three of those losses coming in conference play as Piedmont was able to overcome outside shooting woes in tonight's contest to take the three-point win.  The Lady Lions finished 0-for-13 from downtown failing to connect on a single three-pointer for the first time since an 0-for-11 showing against Maryville on January 22, 2011.

Freshman CARLIE SHIELDS led the way with a season-high 12 points coming on five-of-eight shooting as her dozen were part of 30 points off the bench for PC compared to 18 from Covenant.  Piedmont also outscored the Scots in the paint 34-20.

Leading by two with just under six minutes to go in the first half, Piedmont closed the first half on a 9-4 run with Shields scoring five of the nine to end the first period.  Piedmont's 7-point edge at the break was the largest lead for the visitors up to that point and a lead that Covenant quickly cut into starting with a three-pointer just 12 seconds into the second half.  

Covenant continued to challenge PC though the Lady Lions would again build a big lead going up by nine on a JULIANNE BAYER layup at the 12:29 mark that made it 41-32 PC.  Seven straight points by Covenant's Liz Dougherty kept the Scots' deficit in single digits as the home team continued to hang around looking for a chance to pull the upset in the second meeting between the two over the last two weeks.

After a Haley Soles three made it a one-possession game with 7:20 to play, Bayer would combine with teammate LE'SHAUNDA JONES to score six straight as Piedmont went up 53-44 with just over four to go.  However, Covenant continued to chip away at the lead until, after a TAYLOR SWOSZOWSKI free throw at the 1:09 mark, the Scots would again find luck from distance with another three from Soles again cutting it to a one-possession game just after the minutes turned to just seconds on the scoreboard.

With the ball in hand up three, Piedmont was unable to convert on four straight free throws in the final minute giving Covenant two chances to possibly tie the game at the end.  A Covenant timeout with 7.3 remaining set up the game's final possession as the Scots' Jessica Bell drove and turned to find a waiting teammate on the perimeter for the team's final chance. 

However, LE'SHAUNDA JONES was lurking in the passing lane and came up with the game-saving steal that allowed PC to escape the mountain with a 3-point win over their USA South foe.  For PC, the win was key helping Piedmont continue to hold on to the #3 spot in the South Division of the league.  The top three in the South Division will make the USA South Championship field.

The Lady Lions trail 2nd place LaGrange College in the South Division standings setting up quite the matchup for Saturday in Piedmont's next contest as the Green and Gold host the Panthers this coming weekend.  

LaGrange entered Wednesday night as one of four USA South teams with double digit wins in conference play taking on Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama.  The Hawks also come to Cave Arena this weekend playing in a 3:00 pm contest on Sunday. 

Tip off with the Panthers is set for 4:00 pm on February 14 in Piedmont's Cave Arena with live video coverage being provided by the Mane Event Broadcasting Network and live audio provided by WCON Radio.