WINCHESTER, Va. - The Shenandoah University women's basketball team edged Virginia Wesleyan University 63-59 on Wednesday night in an ODAC contest.
For the second time in two weeks, the Hornets (9-10, 5-7 ODAC) took on the Marlins (10-9, 7-5). Thanks to shooting 43.8 percent from the field and a strong fourth quarter, SU was able to split the season series.
THE RUNDOWN
1st Quarter
After a back-and-forth start the Marlins had a slight edge after one, leading 19-16.
2nd Quarter
Shenandoah ended the first half on a six-point run, tying the game up at 30 just before the break thanks to Jordan Sondrol sinking two of her seven made free throws on the night.
3rd Quarter
SU rode the momentum into the third, leading by as many as six points when Ashley Stone hit a three-point shot with 4:33 remaining. A 6-0 Marlin run kept VWU in the game. The Marlins led 48-43 heading into the final 10 minutes.
4th Quarter
A Shannon Kuhn layup at the 4:30 mark in the final stanza tied it up at 50. Virginia Wesleyan was able to even the score once more with 49 seconds remaining before Kelsey Jones answered back with a jumper to give SU the lead for good. The Hornets went 7-for-8 from the line in the final 22 seconds to secure their fifth ODAC victory of the season.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"This week we really focused on getting our minds right," head coach Melissa Smeltzer-Kraft said. "We shifted our thinking and mentality to playing together and for one another, tonight's outcome showed that adjusted mind-set. We practiced well this week and the women stepped up in different ways. Tonight's win over a strong VWU team was a well-balanced team effort."
STATS OF THE DAY
- Ashley Stone led all scorers with 21 points and drew six fouls on the night, going to the line four of those times.
- Sondrol added 11 points and Kuhn 10.
- McKenzie Mathis collected six rebounds and served eight assists.
- The Hornets snapped a three game losing-streak against the Marlins; VWU owns the series record 10-3.
UP NEXT
The women travel to Lexington to take on Washington and Lee at 2 p.m. Saturday, January 26.
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