STAUNTON, Va. - Shenandoah University earned its first USA South Conference women's basketball victory of the season Wednesday evening with a 78-54 victory at Mary Baldwin.

Shenandoah (4-6, 1-2 USA South) led just 31-30 at break, but scored the first 14 points of the second half to bury the Squirrels (2-4, 0-3).

The Hornets appeared to be well on its way to victory by jumping out to a 20-11 lead by the 10:51 mark of the first, but MBC had other ideas.

The Fighting Squirrels scored 14 of the game's next 16 points in the next 4:13 to take a 25-22 lead by the 5:51 mark, but this would prove to be their high-water mark.

Senior Abby Gallagher started a 9-5 SU run to complete the opening stanza with a jumper at 5:43 while leading scorer Sam Akers (17 points) completed it by knocking down another jumper 33 seconds before the buzzer.

Now armed with the one-point lead, Shenandoah put the contest away by scoring the first 13 points of the second in a span of 4:26.

From this point on, the Hornets lead remained in double-digits.

Another run, this one 11-4 from the 14:29 to 11:07 marks, effectively ended the contest.

An Akers free throw pushed the lead to 20 points with 8:12 remaining and coach Michelle Guyant-Holloway's club eventually led by 24 before coasting home to the 22-point victory.

The win is the 10th straight for SU over its closest conference rival and its fifth straight at Mary Baldwin.

Akers was the only player in double figures. Nicole Gilbertson had 13 rebounds and Holly Chittenden 10 for the victors.

The Fighting Squirrels had a 48-44 rebounding advantage.

Shenandoah hosts Methodist on Saturday at 2:00 in another USA South Conference contest.

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