WINCHESTER, Va. – The Shenandoah University women's basketball team made its first-ever Alumni Appreciation Day a successful one Saturday afternoon as it downed Washington and Lee 52-43 in ODAC action.

Shenandoah (8-9, 4-4 ODAC), playing before a group of 20 women who played in the program from the mid-1980s through last season, led virtually throughout the contest against the Generals (6-8, 3-5).

The two teams traded the initial eight points of the contest, but following a pair of Holly Chittenden free throws at the 14:43 mark of the first, SU held the lead.

Chittenden's two free throws started a 9-0 run for the Hornets that gave the squad a 13-4 advantage by the 11:40 mark.

Following this run, Shenandoah would not see its lead shrink below four points for the remainder of the contest.

Coach C.K. Calhoun's club took a 26-17 lead into the halftime locker room and then basically iced the contest by starting the second half on a 5-2 run.

The lead stretched to  13 following a Sara D'Amico jumper in the lane with 7:56 to play and remained at least seven for the duration.

D'Amico led the victors with 13 points with Nicole Gilbertson adding 10 points and eight rebounds.

Chittenden, one of the league's top rebounders, had a game-high 11 boards.

Shenandoah held a slight, 37-36, advantage on the glass.

Rachel Warrick paced W&L with 16 points while Katy Wilson had 10 points and nine rebounds.

SU is back in action on Tuesday at Virginia Wesleyan in another ODAC contest.

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