WINCHESTER, Va. – Shenandoah University opened up its 2020-21 women's basketball campaign Thursday afternoon with a 65-52 non-league loss to Roanoke College.
 
Roanoke (1-0) outscored the Hornets (0-1) by nine points in the second quarter to take a 12-point lead into the halftime locker room and maintained that advantage over the final 20 minutes of play.
 

IN BRIEF

The Maroons, announced earlier Thursday as the ODAC pre-season favorite, and SU traded the lead three times and were tied on one additional occasion in the opening 10-minute stanza.
 
After Shenandoah took what turned it out to be its last lead, 8-7 following a Sierra St. Cyr jumper, RC scored six of the final eight points of the first to lead 13-10 after one.
 
Roanoke then seized control of the contest with a 8-2 run to start the second and led by nine, 21-12, with 7:20 remaining.
 
The Hornets were able to cut the deficit to four points on five occasions, the last with 2:16 remaining, only to see RC end the half on an 8-0 run.
 
Shenandoah outscored its visitors by three points in the third but got no closer than five points the rest of the way.
 
SU shot 36 percent (20 of 56) from the field and 10 of 12 (83 percent) from the line, but was 2 for 11 (18 percent) from behind the arc.
 
St. Cyr led the hosts with 16 points and nine rebounds while Olivia Weinel added 12 points.
 
Renee Alquiza had 20 points for Roanoke.
 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Scoring:
SU: Sierra St. Cyr 16, Olivia Weinel 12
RC: Renee Alquiza 20, Kayla Kinsler 11
 
Rebounding:
SU: Sierra St. Cyr 9
RC: Kristina Harrel 10, Rose Sande 7
 
Points off Turnovers:
SU: 13
RC: 19
 
Points in Paint:
SU: 22
RC: 26
 
Fastbreak Points:
SU: 6
RC: 17
 
Points off Bench:
SU: 13
RC: 30
 

UP NEXT

Shenandoah continues home non-conference action with a 7 p.m. game Tuesday night versus St. Mary's College of Maryland. As a reminder, no fans are permitted inside the James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletics & Events Center this season.
 
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