WINCHESTER, Va. – Shenandoah University earned its first USA South Conference women's basketball victory of the season Saturday afternoon with an 85-72 victory over N.C. Wesleyan.
The win is the 12th straight for SU (4-7, 1-4 USA South) over the Lady Bishops.
NCWC (2-7, 1-3) has not beaten Shenandoah since the 2004-05 season and is winless in Winchester since January 19, 2002.
The Hornets have won nine consecutive over the Wesleyan in Shingleton Gymnasium.
After winning by 51 points here last season, Shenandoah had to work a little harder for Saturday's 13-point victory.
The two teams traded the lead five times and were tied once, all in the first half, before SU finally took the lead for good on an Ashleigh Council layup with 8:15 remaining in the opening stanza.
Council's runner, one of two she had on the day, started a 15-2 Hornets run that gave Shenandoah control of the contest for good.
SU eventually pushed this first half advantage out to 13 points, and thanks to a buzzer-beating Sam Akers layup off a Sierra Edwards assist, took that lead into the halftime lockerroom.
Shenandoah continued to keep up the pressure following the intermission, scoring the first four points of the second half and earning a 20-point advantage by the midway point of the half.
The Hornets eventually led by as many as 25 and held a 20-point lead until NCWC scored eight of the final nine points in the last 19 seconds to post the final margin of victory.
Junior Mandy Johnston paced the victors with 19 points, she had first seven of the game for her team, while Edwards had 16 and Akers 13.
Council scored seven, but added two assists and registered four of her team's 11 steals.
SU shot 57 percent for the contest (29 of 51), including a sizzling 16 of 27 (59 percent) in the first half.
Samantha Urquhart had 21 points and 13 boards for the visitors.
The Hornets travel just down I-81 Wednesday evening for a 7 p.m. USA South Conference contest at Mary Baldwin.