PORTLAND, Ore. -- Natalie Kelly made the game's first and final 3-point field goal to bookend Lewis & Clark's 74-56 loss to the Whitman Missionaries on Friday night at Pamplin Sports Center. As a team, the Pioneers made 53 percent of their threes, a new season-high.

Kelly's 14-point effort, which included a 4 of 8 performance from long range, put her three points shy of her career high. Lewis & Clark had four different players make at least half their 3-point tries in the game.

On Friday night, Whitman just shot better, making 44 percent of its baskets compared to Lewis & Clark's 35 percent. The Missionaries went 5 of 9 from 3-point range themselves, also setting a new season-high at 56 percent.

Along with Kelly, Kaitlin Mathewson (1 for 1), Miyah Leith (1 for 2) and Cianna Ochoco (2 for 2) led the way for Lewis & Clark from beyond the arc, helping the Pios eclipse their previous top 3-point percentage of 47 percent in back-to-back December games at Whitman and Claremont M-S. Friday's game was the Pios' first above 40 percent since.

"We can be very dangerous. We even have posts that can shoot threes," said Kelly. "When we're on, we're on."

"We fought. We've talked a lot about 'from start to finish.' It's been really difficult for us to do that," said Lewis & Clark head coach Asha Jordan. "In a lot of our especially close games, we've had these lauls that have just lasted too long. Tonight, we didn't really have an extended stretch of time that wasn't particularly long, which was a positive we take from this."

Chelsi Brewer, Hailey McDonald and Hailey Ann Maeda were all above 50 percent from the floor for Whitman, combining for 29 points. Brewer had a co-game-high with 14 points, followed by eight apiece from Maeda and Alysse Ketner. The Missionaries had eight players with at least six points.

In the opening quarter, Kelly's 3-pointer gave the Pioneers an early lead, but Whitman strung together possessions fueled by seven Lewis & Clark turnovers to eventually lead 16-11 before Ayisat Afolabi's free throws closed the gap to three at the end of the quarter.

Trailing by seven in the second, Leith nailed a three with 4:37 remaining to spark an 11-3 run that finished with another of Kelly's triples. The Missionaries closed the half strongly, though, as Casey Poe scored with 1:25 left before Ketner sunk a 3-pointer just before the buzzer, and Whitman led 34-28 at halftime.

After falling behind by double digits in the third period, Ochoco and Mathewson nailed their 3-point tries, and Lewis & Clark was back within seven at the halfway point of the quarter, but Lewis & Clark never regained the lead again.

Whitman held a 20-11 advantage in offensive rebounds, which led to 23 second chance points. Lewis & Clark scored nine points on putbacks. Lewis & Clark's 21 turnovers led to 20 points for Whitman, while the Missionaries turned it over nine times.

Whitman is tied for second place in the Northwest Conference, two games behind undefeated George Fox. The Missionaries lead fourth place Whitworth, which visits Lewis & Clark on Saturday, by two games.

Lewis & Clark lost 67-42 at Whitworth last month. In that game, the Pios made only one of their 12 3-point attempts.

"We were scared in the beginning, honestly," said Kelly. "We are at home this time and we have our home fans. We can't let teams bully us and we neeed to play our game."

The game against Whitman was the Pioneers' first of the Northwest Conference's second half schedule, and the middle of four straight home games for Lewis & Clark. After traveling to George Fox on Feb. 6, the Pios play three of their final four games at home.

Other Northwest Conference Scores - Friday

Willamette 64, Pacific Lutheran 61
George Fox 87, Pacific 51
Linfield 73, Whitworth 62