Shenandoah University Athletics issued the following announcement on Dec. 30
The Shenandoah University Women's basketball team earned a thrilling 67-65 win at Westminster College Thursday afternoon.
After the score changed hands and tied up 15 times each, Gabby Krystofiak was sent to the free-throw line with 1.7 seconds remaining on the clock and the score tied up at 65 apiece.
The first-year capitalized on the moment, giving the Hornets (6-3) a non-conference victory over the Titans (3-5) after sinking both attempts in the first-ever meeting between the program.
THE RUNDOWN
1st Quarter
WC led the initial 7:29 of the contest and by as many as five points at the 6:32 mark before Shenandoah fought its way back, taking the lead from the hosts. With just under two and a half minutes of play before the break in action, a driving layup from Maggie Rooklin off a Sarah Sondrol offensive rebound gave SU its first lead of the game 13-11. The Titans owned a 16-15 lead as time expired.
2nd Quarter
Shenandoah regained the lead for the remainder of the half at the 9:05 mark. Senior classmates Ragan Johnson and Olivia Weinel would double up on the scoring efforts during the first five minutes of the second, giving SU a 25-21 lead. A Camden Hergenrother buzzer-beater 'three' kept Westminster within one going into halftime with a 29-28 score in favor of SU.
3rd Quarter
In a back-and-forth third stanza, the Titans outscored the Hornets 24-21 thanks to a trio of buckets from behind the arc and 13 Natalie Murrio points. Westminster went into the final quarter with a 52-50 advantage.
4th Quarter
The two teams knotted up the score on five separate occasions in the first five minutes of the last stanza. The Titans went ahead 62-60 at the 5:07 mark and both squads were held scoreless until Madisen Kimble drained her second free throw from the charity stripe with 3:53 on the clock.
Sondrol and Weinel combined to score on the next two possessions giving SU a 65-62 advantage with 2:46 left in the contest.
Both teams were scoreless the next two minutes of play. Murrio would go on to tie up the contest with a three-point play, taking advantage of an and-one layup and her trip to the free throw line.
Trading defensive stops, Krystofiak was open on Shenandoah's final possession at the wing and fouled on the way to the basket sending her to the stripe for the first time all day. Krystofiak drained both attempts to ensure a Hornet victory with 01.7 seconds on the clock.
The Hornets defense squashed a half-court opportunity by the Titans before the game's end.
QUOTE FROM COACH
"This was an excellent matchup and I am incredibly proud of how the entire squad responded coming off of the holiday break and battling through some adversity. We had young players step up in the big moments tonight while the veterans kept us close the entire contest. We are going to move on and look forward to Virginia Wesleyan and the remainder of the conference schedule."
-Head Coach Melissa Smeltzer-Kraft
STATS OF THE GAME
- First year Terese Greene led the Hornets in scoring and rebounds with 13 points and eight boards.
- Seniors Johnson, Sondrol, and Weinel were in double-digits, as well.
- The two teams traded the lead 15 times while neither led by more than five points, the contest was also knotted up 15 times.
- Murrio led all scorers with 26 points for the hosts
Alerts Sign-up