WINCHESTER, Va. – The Shenandoah University women's basketball team used a dominating inside performance to fuel an 81-59 non-league victory over St. Mary's of Maryland Tuesday evening.
 
Shenandoah (1-1) outscored the Seahawks (1-1) 50-12 in the paint and had a 49-22 advantage on the boards in the 22-point victory.

IN BRIEF

The Hornets, playing in what is their final scheduled non-league game, held SMCM off the scoreboard for the initial 5:07 of the third quarter to turn a six-point, 34-28, halftime lead into a 15-point advantage.
 
The third quarter spurt actually started with two minutes to play in the second as Sierra St. Cyr kickstarted a 5-0 run to complete the stanza by canning a pair from the line. Sarah Sondrol added one free throw and Madisen Kimble a jumper to extend the lead to five.
 
Two jumpers in the paint from Olivia Weinel sandwiched a Ragan Johnson '3' to start the third and force the 'Hawks into calling a time-out.
 
Weinel, who finished with 10 points, hit another in the lane before SMCM finally broke its scoreless drought with a jumper at 4:53.
 
The damage was done however, and Shenandoah never led its lead fall below 12 points the rest of the way.
 
Coach Melissa Smeltzer-Kraft's club, the strength of a combined 46 points from Weinel, Johnson and Sondrol, shot 20 of 34 (59 percent) from the field in the second half. SU was a sizzling 65 percent (11 of 17) in the fourth.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Shooting:
SU: 33 of 55, 51 percent
SMCM: 16 of 44, 36 percent
 
3-point shooting:
SU: 5 of 10, 50 percent
SMCM: 7 of 15, 47 percent
 
FT Shooting:
SU: 10 of 19, 53 percent
SMCM: 20 of 33, 61 percent
 
Rebounding:
SU: 32
SMCM: 22
 
Scoring:
SU:  Sondrol 19, Johnson 17, Weinel 10
SMCM: Karon Williams 21, Kendra Stamper 15
 
Rebounding:
SU: Johnson 10, Weinel 7
SMCM: Cassidy Kupchinskas 5
  
Points off Turnovers:
SU: 22
SMCM: 6
 
Points in Paint:
SU: 50
SMCM: 12
 
Fastbreak Points:
SU: 8
SMCM: 9
 
Points off Bench:
SU: 39
SMCM: 7

QUOTABLE

"Great to get our first win of the season," Smeltzer-Kraft said. "We played together for 40 minutes and focused on our post advantage."

UP NEXT

Shenandoah begins ODAC play on Friday night at Bridgewater. As a reminder, the ODAC is not allowing fans at indoor contests this winter.
 
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