SALEM, Va. – The Shenandoah University women's basketball team earned its second win in as many outings this season with a 61-48 victory over Albright in the opening game of the Jean Beamer Classic.
 
Hosted by Roanoke College, the tournament is now a three-team event after Hood College was forced to withdraw due to COVID-19 protocols.
 

IN BRIEF

Shenandoah (2-0) was to have faced the Blazers in Sunday's second round. That game is now officially postponed and SU and Hood officials will work to reschedule the game at a date, time, and location to be determined.
 
Facing off versus Albright (1-1) for the first time since the 2006-07 season, Coach Melissa Smeltzer-Kraft's club jumped out to a 17-11 lead after one before expanding that advantage by an additional two points in the second.
 
A 9-2 run over the final 3:53 of the first put the Hornets on top to stay. Senior Olivia Weinel got the run started with a pair of jumpers with Sarah Sondrol completing it thanks to a 3-pointer at 59 seconds. Kayla Maxson had the remaining two points on a jumper at 2:39.
 
Another Maxson bucket, this one a layup off of a turnover 17 seconds into the second, brought the lead out to eight at 19-11. The advantage eventually grew to 11 before Albright scored the final two points of the stanza.
 
The Lions would get no closer than six points the rest of the way and after a Ragan Johnson layup at 3:01 of the third gave SU a 39-28 lead, the Hornets held a double-digit advantage for the remainder of the game.
 
Weinel led the victors with 14 with Johnson and Sondrol each chipping in 12.
 
Shenandoah had a 32-30 advantage on the glass and scored 24 points off of 23 Albright turnovers.

QUOTE FROM COACH

"I am really proud of how our women handled themselves from start to finish today," said Head Coach Melissa Smeltzer-Kraft. "This a really strong Albright team with a lot of experience and is senior-led like we are. The difference today came at the post positions. We really utilized our size and held the advantage under the basket to come back to Winchester with another win." 

UP NEXT

Shenandoah opens up ODAC play at home Wednesday night versus Randolph-Macon. Game time in the James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletics & Center is 7 p.m.
 
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