ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. – The Shenandoah University women's basketball team continued its strong start to the 2006-07 season Saturday afternoon with an 89-46 USA South Conference victory over host N.C. Wesleyan.

Shenandoah (9-3, 2-0 USA South) equals last season's win total with the victory. The win also allows SU to start the conference slate 2-0 for the first time in school history.

Trailing 15-14 at the 15:20 mark of the first, the Hornets seized control of the contest by scoring 31 of the final 41 points of the half. Wesleyan (4-5, 1-1) could only watch as coach Michelle Guyant-Holloway's club started this spurt off with a 23-3 run that gave the visitors a 39-21 lead with 6:49 to play.

The Lady Bishops finally snapped this string with a pair of Nicole Williams free throws with 5:33 left, but Shenandoah was able to keep the lead at least 19 points for the remainder of the half.

Senior Alicia Sanders did most of the damage during the stanza; she scored 17 of her game-high 23 points in the first 20 minutes. 

Wesleyan made a small run early in the second, cutting the deficit 20 points at the beginning of the period, but an 8-0 SU run immediately following another pair of Williams free throws sealed the win for the visitors.

The lead steadily increased as the half went on and Shenandoah finished the game with an 8-3 run to provide the 43-point cushion.

Senior Dee Fisher had 11 in addition to the 23 from Sanders while freshman Alexis Hargbol had eight points and a career-high 16 rebounds. Williams led the hosts with 12 points.

Box Score 

SU will be looking for a sweep of the weekend conference games as it travels to Peace for a 2:00 Sunday contest.