SPOKANE, Wash. - Lexie Zappone scored a season-high 19 points and Katara Belton-Sharp added 12 points to lead Whitworth in a 56-46 win over Lewis & Clark on Friday night at the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

The No. 15/17 Pirates (17-1, 8-1 Northwest Conference) won their third straight game in handing Lewis & Clark (6-12, 3-6) its fourth consecutive loss. Whitworth remains a game back of George Fox in the conference standings with seven games remaining on the NWC schedule.

A hot shooting start fueled the Pirates as Whitworth opened the game hitting six of its first eight shots from the field and three of its first four 3-pointers. Zappone scored eight of her 11 first-half points in the opening six minutes to lead the Pirates offensively.

Whitworth broke a 10-10 with a 7-0 run and never let the Pioneers come within fewer than five points the rest of the half en route to a 25-18 halftime advantage.

Zappone finished 7 of 10 from the field, including 4 of 5 from 3-point range. She also added four rebounds and four steals. Zappone hit two early 3-pointers in the first half and the long-range shots helped create offensive opportunities by spreading out the Lewis & Clark defense, head coach Helen Higgs said.

Whitworth withstood a strong run from the Pioneers as Lewis & Clark cut a seven-point halftime deficit to 31-29 following a 13-4 run to begin the half. But Whitworth responded with a 9-2 run of their own and led by at least seven points the rest of the way.

Lewis & Clark shot 47.2 percent from the field but was held to 36 shot attempts, compared with 52 attempts for the Pirates. Whitworth shot 38.5 percent from the field, including 35 percent (7 of 20) from 3-point range. The Pirates also grabbed 11 offensive rebounds, contributing to 12 second-chance points.

"One of our keys was to have more possession than them," Higgs said. "We talked about limiting turnovers, taking care of the ball and out-rebounding."

KC McConnell added nine points, six rebounds and three steals for Whitworth. The Pirates hit all nine of their free-throw attempts, led by Belton-Sharp who was five of five at the line. 

Ayisat Afolabi scored 12 points to lead the Pioneers. Miyah Leith and Sarah Anderson scored nine apiece while Lauren Wood had eight to pace the Pioneers.

Whitworth is back in action Saturday night, hosting Willamette. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m.