SPOKANE, Wash. - Sophomore forward Tiffany Corigliano scored a career high 17 points to lead Whitworth past visiting Montana Tech 67-61 in a non-conference women's basketball game on Monday night in the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

Tiffany Corigliano

The host Pirates improved to 3-0 by winning their home opener against the Orediggers (4-2), an NAIA Division I team from Butte, Montana that has dropped two straight since a perfect start.

Corigliano came off of the bench to score her 17 points, which included a pair of three pointers. She added six rebounds and three steals. Natalie Orrell and Susan McDaniel tallied 12 points apiece and Alida Bower contributed a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Rebecca Gimeno scored a game high 19 points for Montana Tech on 7 of 22 shooting from the field. She made 3 of 9 three pointers. Andrea Thomas added 11 points and Angela Gimeno was the leading rebounder with six.

After Tech opened an early 7-3 lead on a three pointer by Angela Gimeno, the Pirates went on an 11-0 run which included seven points by Corigliano, to take a 14-7 lead. Whitworth's lead increased to 15 points on three occasions, the final time at 29-14 after a basket by McDaniel. But the Orediggers closed the half on a 16-6 run to pull within 35-30.

Tech then got within 42-40 early in the second half after Angela Gimeno drove for a layup, but the Pirates answered with a 10-2 run to open their largest lead of the second half at 52-42. Corigliano again was the key, scoring four of the points.

The Orediggers could never regain momentum, and did not close to within less than five points until Jessie DePell drained a three pointer to get within 65-61, but only nine seconds were left on the clock. Corigliano made a pair of free throws to clinch the game for the Pirates.

Whitworth will not return to action until the Pirates open Northwest Conference play on December 1st against Pacific University in the Fieldhouse. The Orediggers will host Dickinson State on Friday at 8:00 pm.