ANDERSON, IND. – A pair of key skeins helped lift Manchester University to an important Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference road win Wednesday, Feb. 11.

The Black and Gold (11-11 overall, 8-7 HCAC) managed a 12-3 stretch to end the opening frame, reversing a 15-9 deficit in the early going, and then opened the second stanza on a 15-4 march to hold a 36-22 advantage with just over 14 minutes to play. They continued to build the cushion to as large as 22 before the Ravens (1-21 overall, 0-15 HCAC) answered with a late surge to make the final 56-40.

After struggling through an opening 20 minutes in which they hit just above 30 percent from the field overall, MU responded in the second half, converting to a tune of 52.2 percent overall, 50 percent from outside the arc and better than 71 percent at the charity stripe. Junior guard Justine Kruger (Francesville, Ind.) and senior center Alyssa Hammond (Osgood, Ind.) led the scoring column with 11 points (Kruger) and 10 (point Hammond). Hammond and senior guard Alyssa Smith (Bluffton, Ind.) just missed double-doubles with Hammond snaring eight boards, and Smith concluding the night at nine points and nine rebounds to go along with four steals.

The win moved the Spartans into a three-way tie with Rose-Hulman and Defiance College for fifth place in the conference. Manchester University wraps up its 2014-15 regular season home schedule Saturday, Feb. 14, as Mt. St. Joseph University visits for a 1 p.m. tip-off.

NOTES: Smith's rebound and steal efforts marked the 13^th time she's grabbed five-or-more boards and 15^th time she's tallied multiple steals during her senior season … Senior guard Jocelyn Hamilton (Columbus, Ind.), the squad assists' leader (three), notched her 18^th multiple-assist outing … The victory was MU's ninth in a row and 19^th in the last 22 against AU.