DANVILLE, Va. – Host Averett University used a pair of fourth quarter runs to outlast Shenandoah University, 79-71, in non-league women's basketball action Saturday afternoon.

The Cougars (1-1) scored the first eight points of the final stanza open up a 10-point lead and pull away from Shenandoah (1-1).

Up to that point, the two teams were never more than four points apart as they traded the lead five times and were tied on 11 additional occasions.

Morgan Kuhns broke that scoreless string for the Hornets with her jumper at 7:21 only to see Averett answer with six more points in 51 seconds to extend its lead to 14, 65-51, with 6:14 to play.

Jordan Sondrol, who led all scorers with a career-high 29 points, had a layup at 5:51 to cut the SU deficit to 12.

The hosts' lead eventually reached 16 before Shenandoah scored 16 of the game's final 24 points to fall by the eight-point margin.

Sondrol had her new career-high on 10-of-15 shooting from the field (2 3-pointers) along with a 7-of-9 performance from the free throw line.

Ashley Stone had 12 points and McKenzie Mathis 10 to back up Sondrol.

Averett, which had five players score in double figures, also had a 55-34 edge on the glass that led to an 18-8 advantage in second chance points.

SU shot 41 percent (23-of-56) to 32 percent for the Cougars.

Shenandoah continues this road trip with a 6 p.m. game Tuesday at Hood.

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