NEWPORT, R.I. (January 24, 2026) - Salve Regina University women's basketball hosted its second nationally-ranked opponent of the season and fell, 68-44, to the #3 Smith College Pioneers in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action at the Rodgers Recreation Center on Saturday afternoon.

Junior guard Hannah Martin (North Andover, Mass.) led the visitors with 24 points on 10-of-15 from the floor including four of seven from long range. Emma Cochrane (Norton, Mass.) came off the bench to pace the Seahawks with 11 points (two field goals and seven free throws) while Marissa Forino (Watertown, Conn.) joined her in double figures with 10 points including three-for-three from behind the arc.

Kate Hackney (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) led all players with 10 rebounds, five on each end of the floor. Sofia Neary (Wayne, N.J.) grabbed eight caroms to carry the Seahawks.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: No. 3 Smith 71, Salve Regina 43
Records: Salve Regina (6-11, 0-3 NEWMAC), No. 3 Smith (16-1, 3-0 NEWMAC)
All-Time Series: The Pioneers improve to 7-0 in the all-time series with all seven meetings in the last 10 years.

SUMMARY
First Quarter — Smith Jumps Ahead with Early Pressure

• 1Q - | Smith set the tone immediately in Newport, building an early lead with aggressive perimeter shooting and quick ball movement. Guard Hannah Martin sparked the offense, hitting multiple early three-pointers and finishing the quarter with a strong scoring line. Smith's defense disrupted Salve Regina's rhythm, forcing turnovers and converting them into transition buckets. By quarter's end, the Pioneers led 18–9, asserting control with a balanced attack and forcing the Seahawks into contested offensive sets. | PIONEERS 18, SEAHAWKS 9

• 2Q - | Salve Regina responded in the second, settling into the half-court game and tightening its defense. The Seahawks found scoring from Marissa Forino and Emma Cochrane, cutting into parts of Smith's lead with aggressive drives and savvy playmaking. However, Smith's supporting cast — featuring contributions from Virginia Johnson and Kate Hackney — answered each Salve run. The quarter remained competitive, but Smith's early advantage held firm as the teams traded baskets. Smith carried a 32–23 lead into halftime. | PIONEERS 14, SEAHAWKS 14

• 3Q - | Coming out of the break, Smith asserted its depth and offensive balance. The Pioneers leveraged efficient scoring inside and out, extending their advantage through patient offense and defensive stops. While Salve Regina continued to battle — with Sofia Neary grabbing key rebounds and finding points in the paint — Smith's offense remained consistent, adding another 15 points to stay comfortably ahead. By the end of the third, Smith led 47–35, with momentum clearly favoring the visitors. | PIONEERS 15, SEAHAWKS 12

• 4Q - | In the final period, Smith's depth and discipline became decisive. The Pioneers increased their defensive pressure, forcing turnovers and converting them into easy points. Salve Regina struggled to find consistent offense against Smith's rotating defenders. Meanwhile, Smith's bench delivered crucial minutes, sustaining offensive output without losing intensity. The result was a dominant closing stanza in which Smith outscored the Seahawks and sealed a convincing 68–44 victory. | PIONEERS 21, SEAHAWKS 9

NOTEWORTHY

• Emma Cochrane led the Seahawks with 11 points off the bench; she made 7-of-8 free throws.
• Both teams shot over 78 percent from the charity stripe -- Smith 81.0% (17-21), Salve Regina 78.3% (18-23).
• Smith College entered the week ranked #3 in the WBCA Poll and #4 in the D3hoops.com Poll.
• In late December, the Seahawks matched up with then #15 Mammoths of Amherst College in the D3hoops.com Classic in Las Vegas.
• Cochrane, Forino, and Liz McGuirl each collected two steals in the game.

NEXT UP
Salve Regina plays at Coast Guard on Wednesday with a 7 p.m. tip-off on FloCollege.