NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Top-seeded Ferrum College ended Shenandoah University's women's basketball season Friday afternoon with a 71-64 semi-final round victory at the Freeman Center.

Ferrum (21-6) advances to Saturday's championship game against the winner of No. 2 CNU vs No. 3 Greensboro. That semi-final round game will take place at 6:00 Friday night.

The Hornets (17-9) saw the third-best season in school history end as FC broke open the game with a 12-0 run late in the first half. Trailing 18-14 after SU senior Dee Fisher hit a three-pointer, the Lady Panthers reeled off the game's next 12 points to take a 26-18 lead with 2:56 remaining.

Sophomore Valerie Samples eventually ended the scoreless streak with a pair of free throws at the 2:05 mark, but Ferrum had total control of the contest.

This lead eventually reached 10 points before Shenandoah closed out the half with buckets by Fisher and classmate Alicia Sanders. For Sanders, the running layup came as the first-half buzzer sounded and was her first field goal of the afternoon.

The Lady Panthers maintained this lead at the start of the second half, until SU clawed back in it 7-1 run from the 13:06 to 12:20 marks. A Fisher three-pointer (that also made her the all-time leader in that category at SU) made it 43-42 Ferrum with 12:20 to play.

FC answered with a three-pointer of its own, but Shenandoah would not go away.

Coach Michelle Guyant-Holloway's club eventually tied it at 48-48 by the 10:40 mark, but could not take the lead. The game was tied at 51 as well before an Ashley Norton 'trey' gave the No. 1 Lady Panthers a lead they would not relinquish.

Shenandoah got as close as four points in the waning moments, but Ferrum sealed its trip to the championship contest by making three of its final six attempts from the field and two of three free throws.

Fisher, who broke the three-point record previous held by Deanna Estes '98, led the Hornets with 14 points. Freshman Alexis Hargbol added 13 and Sanders 11 to round out the team's double-digit scorers.

Norton paced the scoring sheet with 17, Quanita Bennett had 14 and Ali Davenport 10 for FC. The win was also the third straight this season for the Lady Panthers over SU.

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