FREDERICK, Md. – The Shenandoah University women's basketball team earned its second win of the season Tuesday evening with a 74-58 non-league victory at Hood College.
Shenandoah (2-1) jumped out to a 17-9 lead after one, extended its advantage to 34-20 by halftime and then held off a Hood (2-1) rally in the third quarter to secure the victory.
Thanks to a 9-0 run that sandwiched the end of the third quarter, the Blazers trailed by just six, 46-40, with 9:33 remaining.
But SU had an answer.
The Hornets scored seven of the game's next eight points in just 45 seconds to push their lead back to 12, 53-41, following a Sarah Donley 3-point play at the 7:56 mark.
Hood was able to cut the deficit to six on one more occasion before another Shenandoah run, this one 21-9 over a span of 5:52, gave coach Melissa Smeltzer-Kraft's club an 18-point lead with just 13 seconds left.
"We are really excited to be going into Thanksgiving break with a win," Smeltzer-Kraft said. "Different people stepped up at crucial points and we withstood a Hood run in the second half with poise and confidence."
Four of the Hornets five starters scored in double figures with sophomore Jordan Sondrol hitting for 22 points and senior Kirstyn Arcata 21.
McKenzie Mathis had 12 and Ashley Stone 10 to complete that quartet with Stone and Arcata both pulling down six boards.
SU outscored Hood, 20-9, on points off turnovers.
The win is the 21st for Shenandoah over Hood in the longtime series.
SU is back in action on Monday in a 6 p.m. non-league contest at Marymount.
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