MARIETTA, Ohio – For the thirteenth time in the 27-year history of the Jim Meagle Turkey Shoot, the Marietta College women's basketball team claimed the holiday championship. The Pioneers defeated Brescia University, 78-53, to secure the first place hardware. [Box Score]

Marietta, 4-1 on the season, is off to its best start since going 5-1 to open the 2003-04 season. Brescia dropped to 2-6 overall.

“I'm pleased with where we are as a team at this point,” said Pioneer head coach Jill Meiring. “We have received strong contributions from several people on the roster and we will need that depth as we head into conference play next week.”

After a slow start against Pitt-Greensburg in the first round, the Pioneers came out today firing on all cylinders. Marietta shot nearly 70% from the floor in the first half, including 5-of-7 from three-point range, and took a commanding 47-13 lead into the locker room at halftime.

“Our defense played very well today,” said Meiring. “We were able to wear them down and scored a lot of points in transition.”

All of the Pioneers' starters played less than half the game as Meiring went 10-deep on the roster playing two distinct five-person lineups. She cleared the bench early in the second half giving valuable playing experience to everyone on the roster.

Junior #Aleisha Guiler (Lower Salem/Monroe Central)# averaged nearly a point per minute as she led the Pioneers with 16 points and nine rebounds. Guiler hit 5-of-6 field goal attempts and was 6-of-7 from the charity stripe to earn tournament Most Valuable Player honors.

Sophomore #Tori Dixon (Londonderry/Vinton County)# tallied 11 points and four assists, while freshman #Jessica Brogan (Cincinnati/Anderson)# notched 10 points and four rebounds. Both were named to the all-tournament team.

Pioneer freshman #Heather Booth (Newport/Frontier)# scored 12 points and had three steals off the bench.

Brescia was led by sophomore all-tournament team selection Olivia Moore. Moore scored a game-high 25 points on 10-of-16 shooting. Freshman Jessi Hodge added 14 points for the Bearcats.

The final two spots on the all-tournament team went to seniors Casey Stanton from Pitt-Greensburg and Katie Jo Collins from Mount St. Joseph.

Stanton poured in 27 points and grabbed 20 rebounds to lead Pitt-Greensburg over Mount St. Joseph, 74-68, in the consolation game. Collins scored 14 points and pulled down eight boards in the game.

The Pioneers begin Ohio Athletic Conference play on Wednesday, November 30th, when they travel to Muskingum for a 7:30 p.m. battle.