The OneFortyOne Pioneers split their Victorian double header road trip in the weekend’s NBL1 South conference round 5 action.


The women took on Geelong United on Saturday night, before backing up against the Bendigo Braves on Sunday afternoon.


Geelong inflicted the Pioneers’ first win of the season, with Mount Gambier going down by two points, before the Pioneers bounced back on Sunday, handing Bendigo a decisive defeat.


The Pioneers headed to Victoria undefeated, but despite the weekend’s loss Mount Gambier sits second on the ladder.


Geelong took to the court on Saturday night with plenty of aggression, pushing out to a six point lead half way through the opening quarter before the Pioneers rallied to draw level at 17-all with three minutes to play.


The hosts again pulled away by five, before the Pioneers surged and a three pointer on the buzzer from Sherrie Calleia had scores level at 22-all at quarter time.


Mount Gambier took the lead in the opening minute of the second quarter, with the lead then switching between the teams until the scores were level with three minutes left on the clock.


The Pioneers then put their foot down to power away to a seven point lead, up 45-38 at half time.


The tables were turned in the third stanza, as Geelong went on a 14-8 run and then snatched the lead half way through the quarter.


The hosts outscored Mount Gambier – 25-15 for the period, to be up 63-60 at the final break.


The Pioneers came out fired up in the last quarter, regaining the lead in the first minutes of play before Geelong made another surge to go up by three.


Mount Gambier again pushed and drew level before Geelong snatched the lead back.


The Pioneers managed to go up by one point with just over 20 seconds to play, but a three pointer from Geelong with only seconds left gave them the match 81-79, inflicting Mount Gambier’s first loss for the season.


Calleia top scored for the match, knocking down 23 points, while Zitina Aokuso notched up a double double with 18 points and 10 rebounds.


Sammy Fatkin also scored a double double with 13 points and 12 rebounds, with Haliegh Reinoehl contributing 17 points.


The Pioneers regrouped before taking the floor against the tough Bendigo Braves side on Sunday afternoon.


The Braves were up for the challenge, as were the visitors, and it was clear early that Pioneers sharpshooters Reinoehl, Calleia and captain Isabella Brancatisano had their eye in, sending down three pointers.


The battle was tight early and with eight lead changes in the opening quarter the score stood at 26-all at the first break.


Bendigo jumped out of the blocks early in the second quarter, but the slight buffer they built was quickly eliminated by a Fatkin three pointer to draw scores level.


The lead again regularly changed hands until the last minute of play as a late run by the Pioneers, including back to back threes from Brancatisano and Fatkin, pushed them in front 52-44 at the main break, outscoring the hosts 26-18 for the quarter.


Mount Gambier demonstrated its resilience in the third stanza, as another pair of back to back threes from Reinoehl and Calleia gave the Pioneers a 16 point lead.


Bendigo worked to reduce the deficit, getting within 10 points, before Fatkin, Reinoehl and Brancatisano sent down a shower of three pointers to be up 81-63 at the final change.


The last quarter was an even affair, although the Pioneers managed to stretch their lead to 24 half way through before the Braves chipped it back to 18.


All of the Pioneers’ starting five made it to double digit scores, before head coach Matt Sutton cleared his bench, sending on locals Edie Easterby, Keryl Ousey, Cara Nulty and Tenielle Human to finish off the match with Calleia.


Mount Gambier took the win 99-81, with Fatkin starring with 24 points and Brancatisano contributing 22.


Aokuso recorded her second double double of the weekend with 18 points and 14 rebounds, with Calleia scoring 17 points and Reinoehl 15.


The Pioneers will host the Nunawading Spectres at Wulanda on Friday night.