By Lara Pluska

WINCHESTER, Va. – The Shenandoah University women's basketball team earned its first ODAC victory of the season Saturday with a 51-43 win over Hollins.

SU (4-9, 1-3 ODAC) snaps an eight-game losing streak with its eighth lifetime victory over Hollins (4-8, 0-4).

After the two teams failed to score a bucket in the opening four minutes of the contest, Shenandoah seized the early lead with a 7-2 run from the 6:13 to 4:39 marks. Unfortunately for the home fans, Hollins closed out the opening stanza on an 8-2 run to take a 10-9 lead after one.

The two teams split 38 points in the second quarter while trading the lead twice and being tied on three other occasions. HU took a 29-28 lead into the break thanks to a Jewellanna Parfitt free throw 38 seconds before the half.

The two teams traded the lead five times in the third before junior Kirstyn Arcata gave the Hornets the lead for good by draining a 3-pointer from the corner with 6:08 remaining.

Arcata's bucket started an 11-2 run to finish the quarter for coach Melissa Smeltzer-Kraft's club and Shenandoah coasted home to the win.

"It feels good to get an ODAC win at home," Smeltzer-Kraft said. "We were able to grind through some tough stretches and we persevere in the end.

"We had a very balanced attack and played confidently down the stretch."

The two teams split 16 four-quarter points.

Arcata lead the Hornets with 17 points while French. French had 10 rebounds to go along with eight points.

The Hornets grabbed 42 of the game's 73 rebounds and had a 22-11 advantage in points off of turnovers.

Shenandoah continues this homestand on Wednesday with a 7 p.m. ODAC game versus Bridgewater.

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