SPOKANE, Wash. – Kimberly Dewey scored 26 points, Zalissa Sanfo tied a program record grabbing 20 rebounds for the second time this season, and Whitworth beat Lewis & Clark 55-51 on Friday night.

Sanfo added to a stellar freshman season with her fourth double-double of the season (three in the last four games), while also scoring 10 points. She leads the NWC in rebounds by a considerable margin, and tonight she was responsible for 20 of Whitworth's 43 team rebounds.

Whitworth (4-9 overall, 1-3 NWC) picked up its first conference win of the year despite going 3 of 10 from the stripe in the final quarter nearly allowing Lewis & Clark (1-9 overall, 0-3 NWC) to crawl back.

With 45 seconds left, the Pirate defense came up with a steal to preserve their 51-48 lead, setting Alyssa Fitzgerald for a baseline jumper with 17 seconds remaining. Fitzgerald's jumper essentially put the game on ice for the Pirates, and it came off a great feed from Dewey who led the Pirates with five assists.

The Pirates looked sharp early taking an 11-2 lead in the first four minutes of play as four different scorers contributed to the run, the Pirates led 18-11 at the end of one. But it was Lewis & Clark who threw the second punch with a 14-3 run to start the second quarter. Elstone, Frederickson, and Mukai all buried treys while Whitworth was held scoreless for 5:36.

Dewey delivered a spark going into the break with seven points in the final two minutes including a pull up three. Dewey finished the half with 18 points, but it was Mya Edwards stepping up with a layup as the half expired to give Whitworth a 31-30 lead at the break.

With time expiring in the third Dewey delivered once again, rattling in a three to give Whitworth a six-point lead heading into the final frame. Dewey cashed in another bucket to start the fourth, but the Pioneers persisted.

Whitworth endured a three-minute scoring drought, watching as Jamison Richards hit a layup and a pair of free throws to cut the lead to 51-48. But the rally was halted there as Whitworth came up with the turnover to set up Fitzgerald's jumper on the other end.

Karli Mukai led the Pioneers with 13 points on 5 of 13 shooting, Richards and Guidry added 11 and 10.

The Pirates will be on the road again next weekend seeking to build on their first NWC win, taking on George Fox and Linfield.