PIKEVILLE, Ky.— The Montreat College women's basketball team punched its ticket to the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Tournament on Saturday afternoon, earning a hard-fought 90-86 victory over the University of Pikeville Bears to lock up the No. 9 seed in next week's postseason field. With the win, the Cavaliers improved to 10-16 (8-12 AAC), while Pikeville fell to 15-13 (14-6 AAC).
The visitors started the first quarter with strong offensive plays, opening with Bayleigh Winkler's layup to jump out to a 2-0 lead. Ella Kate Walraven and Sarah Williams contributed early with key baskets, helping the Cavs establish an initial 6-2 edge. Montreat maintained momentum through efficient scoring and ball movement, including a crucial 3-pointer from Williams that pushed the score to 15-12 with under three minutes left. Montreat capitalized on Pikeville's miscues, extending its advantage to 19-13 by the end of the quarter.
The Cavaliers seized momentum in the second frame, turning up the defensive pressure and capitalizing in the paint to build a 12-point cushion by the 2:08 mark (36-24). After the Bears briefly pulled even early in the period, Montreat responded with a decisive run to reestablish control. Tresalyn Roberts sparked the surge off the bench, delivering timely buckets throughout the quarter on her way to a career-high 23 points. Behind her scoring punch and a string of key defensive stops, the visitors dictated the tempo and carried a 38-30 lead into the locker room.
Montreat opened the third frame with an impressive offensive start, marked by Se'Nai Camper's triple, which was assisted by Roberts, extending the lead to 11 points early in the period. Camper's performance was notable as she scored a career-best 14 points. Williams contributed significantly, hitting a 3-pointer and making several defensive plays with rebounds and assists. Despite UPIKE's efforts to close the gap with key baskets, the Cavs maintained control. The quarter concluded with the visitors holding a 65-58 lead, reflecting their consistent scoring and defensive efforts throughout.
The Cavaliers carried their offensive rhythm into the fourth, shooting 9-of-15 from the field and cashing in at the free-throw line to sustain momentum. Camper and Williams delivered timely finishes at the rim, and Trinety Dajuste buried a 3-pointer at the 3:53 mark to stretch
the lead out to nine (79-70). On the defensive end, critical stops and a steal by Sands helped preserve the cushion as the Bears mounted a late push, highlighted by a triple in the closing minutes. Despite the rally attempt, Montreat answered with poised trips to the line and crucial defensive rebounds down the stretch, sealing the 90-86 victory.
"Our group knew what they were fighting for today," said Head Coach Jamie Moore. "They executed the game plan on the defensive end and utilized our transition game on the offensive end. Everyone filled their role."
On the day, Montreat shot 50.7 percent from the field (35-69 FG), 36.8 percent from three (7-19 3-pt FG) and 81.3 percent from the free-throw line (13-16 FT). The hosts were held to 57.9 percent from the floor (33-57 FG), 12.5 percent from deep (2-16 3-pt FG) and 81.8 percent from the line (18-22 FT). The Cavaliers held the edge in rebounds (34-26), assists (21-10), turnovers (11-10) and bench points (51-35).
Williams led the team with 30 points, converting 11 of her 23 field goal attempts, including four 3-pointers. Roberts contributed a career-high 23 points, shooting an efficient 11-for-13 from the field and collecting seven rebounds. Sands facilitated the offense with 12 assists and added five boards to her stat line. Camper chipped in with a career-best 14 points and two steals, while sinking all four shots from the free-throw line.
Looking ahead, the Cavaliers will play in the opening round of the AAC Tournament on Wednesday, Feb. 25. Montreat will serve as the No. 9 seed and take on either Columbia College or Spartanburg Methodist University at a yet-to-be-determined time.
