LEXINGTON, Va. - The sixth-ranked Washington and Lee University women's basketball team opened Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) play with a 67-54 win over the University of Lynchburg on Saturday afternoon.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Zou Raine opened the scoring by stripping Ashley Vandergrift and going the length of the floor for an easy layup. Both teams battled through the remainder of the first quarter, with Lynchburg (5-1) holding a slight edge. A three-point play by Selah Parker gave the Hornets an 18-14 lead. Riley Bryant responded with a layup to cut the deficit to two, but Audra Petty hit a jumper with five seconds remaining to give Lynchburg a 20-16 advantage after one.
- Lynchburg's lead grew to seven early in the second quarter after a jumper by Caitlin Canada. However, Sam Collins answered with a jumper and a three-pointer to bring the score to 25-23. The Generals (6-0) continued to chip away, eventually tying the game at 29 with a Bryant free throw. Raine closed the first half in style, grabbing a steal and converting an easy bucket to give W&L a 31-29 lead heading into the break.
- The Blue and White extended their lead to eight in the third quarter with a 6-0 run that featured baskets from Caroline Shimp and Quinn McGuinness. Back-to-back layups by Raine and Bryant pushed the Generals' lead to 15 late in the period, before a Selah Parker layup ended the third quarter.
- The Hornets opened the fourth with a 7-4 run, highlighted by a Brooke Cason three-pointer. But W&L responded quickly, stretching the lead to 18 after Collins connected from beyond the arc to make it 65-47. Lynchburg closed with a modest 5-2 run, but the Generals ran out the clock to secure their sixth-straight win.
TOP PERFORMERS
- Audra Petty of Lynchburg led all scorers with 21 points while grabbing six rebounds. Sam Collins posted a career-high 17 points to lead the Blue and White, shooting 6-of-9 from the field and knocking down three shots from behind the arc. Riley Bryant (11), Zou Raine (11), and Icy Keneah (10) also reached double figures in the win.
- Caroline Shimp and Caitlin Canada of Lynchburg led the game with 11 rebounds each, while Quinn McGuinness, Zou Raine, and Bri Shuttlewood dished out a game-high two assists apiece. Bryant added three blocks and collected eight boards, while Raine tallied a game-high four steals.
TEAM STATS
- The Generals moved to 6-0 on the season, marking the best start in program history. W&L shot 25-of-65 (38%) from the floor while knocking down 14 of their 21 (67%) free throws.
- The Hornets out rebounded the Genearls 53-44 while the Blue and White forced 17 turnovers.
UP NEXT
- The sixth-ranked Generals are back in action on Tuesday, December 2 as they travel to Danville, Va. for a 6 p.m. match up with Averett University.
Nestled in the mountains of Virginia, Washington and Lee University is a proud member of NCAA Division III and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1749, W&L is the ninth-oldest college in the United States and a top-ranked liberal arts university. With over 500 student-athletes in 24 varsity sports, the Generals have celebrated over 265 conference championships. Learn more about the Blue and White by visiting www.generalssports.com or on social media at @WLUGenerals.
