LEXINGTON, Va. – The Shenandoah University women's basketball team opened up its 2014-15 season Saturday afternoon with a 48-39 non-conference victory over Methodist University.
The win is also the first ever for new SU coach Melissa Smeltzer-Kraft.
Playing its former USA South Conference foes, Shenandoah (1-0) rebounded from a cold first half (23 percent) shooting performance to shoot 47 percent (14 of 30) in the final 20 minutes.
Methodist (0-1) held a 26-16 halftime lead, but scored just 13 points in the second stanza as the Hornets roared back to victory in the 43rd lifetime meeting between the former conference opponents.
Trailing 28-16 following a Sydney Bryan layup at 18:59, the Hornets scored 19 of the game's next 25 points to take a 35-34 lead with 7:04 remaining.
MU would come back to tie at 37-37 when Bryan hit one of two from the line before freshman Kirstyn Arcata drained a 3-pointer on SU's next trip down the floor and Smeltzer-Kraft's club never trailed again.
A Holly Chittenden layup and a Brie Girouard jumper followed to extend the lead to seven points and then Arcata sealed the win with her third 3-pointer at the 42-second mark to make the score 47-37 in favor of the victors.
Arcata led all players with 17 points while Chittenden had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Shenandoah completes the classic format tournament tomorrow with another game against a former USA South Conference foe, Mary Baldwin.
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