RALEIGH, N.C. - Shenandoah University finished off a season sweep of Peace College with a 48-39 USA South Conference women's basketball win Sunday afternoon.
The Hornets (9-12, 6-8 USA South) pulled away from Peace (2-19, 1-13) with a 12-0 run early in the second half.
Trailing 22-20 after PC scored the opening bucket of the second, Shenandoah ripped off the 12 straight points in a span of 3:30 to take a lead it would not relinquish against the Pacers.
Junior Nicole Gilbertson, who led the Hornets with 18 points and 13 rebounds, scored what proved to be the go-ahead bucket with her three-point play at the 17:47 mark.
Sam Akers continued the run with a layup and a 3-pointer, the squad's only one of the game, before Holly Chittenden capped the spurt with a pair of free throws with 15:27 remaining.
However, Peace refused to fold its tents and got itself back into it with an 11-3 run from the 10:44 to 4:48 marks, but would get no closer.
Now leading by just two, Shenandoah clinched the contest by outscoring PC 8-2 in the next 4:33.
Gilbertson did most of the damage during this run with a four free throws sandwiching a field goal.
In addition to Gilbertson's 18 points, Chittenden had eight and Akers seven.
SU had a 47-41 advantage on the boards and held the Pacers to just 21 percent shooting (12 of 56) for the game.
Shenandoah is off until hosting N.C. Wesleyan on Saturday at 2:00 in a USA South Conference contest.
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