Fredericksburg, Va. -- The University of Lynchburg women's basketball team traveled to Mary Washington and earned a hard-fought road victory, 60-51, on Sunday afternoon at Ron Rosner Arena.

The Hornets (6-2) and Eagles (2-10) were locked in a tight contest early. UMW claimed a quick 7-0 advantage to start the contest and Lynchburg battled back to even the score at 18-18 after the opening quarter. Lynchburg began to gain separation in the second quarter, outscoring Mary Washington 18-13 to take a 36-31 lead into halftime.

As a group, the Hornets shot .412 percent from the field in the first half. Taylor Brown was a significant contributor on the offensive end, scoring a team-high 11 points in the first frame, while Brooke Cason and Natalie Poole added eight points apiece.

The third quarter proved to be a defensive battle, with both teams struggling to find rhythm offensively. Lynchburg was held to nine points in the period, but its defense limited Mary Washington to 10, allowing the Hornets to maintain a 45-41 edge heading into the final quarter. 

The Hornets pulled away in the fourth quarter with a balanced offensive effort and solid execution down the stretch. The Hornets opened the quarter on a 6-0 run, extending their lead to double digits, and never allowed the Eagles to close the gap to fewer than seven points the rest of the way. Lynchburg shot .500 percent from the field in the final quarter and went a perfect three-for-three from the free throw line.

Brown and Audra Petty led the Hornets offensively with 13 points apiece, while Bree Spainhour and Brooke Cason each tallied eight points. Off the bench, Poole added nine points and Sawyers chipped in seven points, and Lynchburg received 31 points from its reserves overall. Defensively, the Hornets forced 17 turnovers and recorded five steals and four blocks to secure the nine-point road win.

Lynchburg has a quick turnaround before its next contest when Regent visits Turner Gym on Tuesday, Dec. 16 at 1 p.m.

Visit Lynchburg athletics' home online, LynchburgSports.com, anytime for up-to-date news on all Hornets sports and coverage from the Lynchburg Hornets Sports Network.

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