WINCHESTER, Va. – Shenandoah University earned its third women's basketball victory of the season Tuesday with a 64-57 non-league win over Elmira (N.Y.).
Shenandoah (3-1) needed a fourth quarter rally as Elmira (0-4) led by as much as nine in the third quarter and took a seven-point lead into the fourth.
Danielle Cleary gave the Soaring Eagles that nine-point advantage with a 3-pointer at the 1:35 mark of the third only to see quickly rally back.
Junior Kirstyn Arcata, who matched Cleary with a co-game-high 19 points, began the Hornets comeback with an 18-foot jumper five seconds before the end of the third.
Freshman Jordan Sondrol drained a 3-pointer 12 seconds into the fourth, followed by an Olivia Callan jumper at 9:07 and a Sondrol bucket at 8:44.
The run wasn't over as Arcata hit another bucket at 7:56 that gave Melissa Smeltzer-Kraft's squad its first lead since the 8:18 mark of the third.
The two teams traded the next six baskets with Shenandoah finally taking the lead for good on a Sarah Donley 3-pointer with 3:37 remaining.
Donley's '3', one of two on the afternoon for the freshman, ignited an 11-3 Hornets run to complete the contest.
SU was 4 of 4 from the charity stripe down the stretch with both Sondrol and Erin French canning both of their opportunities.
In addition to Arcata's 19, French had 13 points along with seven rebounds.
Rachel Vespucci had 18 points and 14 rebounds for the visitors.
Elmira had a 47-32 advantage on the glass, but turned it over 26 times that led to Shenandoah owning a 21-7 bulge in points off of turnovers.
"I am very proud of this win," Smeltzer-Kraft said. "These are exactly the types of battles we need to experience in order to prepare properly for ODAC play. I am also happy to be headed into the break with another win."
The Hornets are now off for that holiday break until hosting the Lynchburg Hornets on Tuesday, November 29 in the ODAC opener. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
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