Rocky Mount, NC — The Southern Virginia University women's basketball team extended their winning streak to seven games with a gritty 54-49 non-conference victory over Piedmont University on Saturday afternoon. The win improves the Knights' record to 9-2 as they head into the holiday break.

The game began with both teams struggling to find the basket. Four minutes into the first quarter, Piedmont broke the ice with a three-pointer, followed by a Ruth Kempler layup that briefly gave Southern Virginia the lead. The Lions quickly tied the game at 5-5, but that was the last time Piedmont scored in the quarter.

The Knights dominated the final five minutes of the opening period, going on a 9-0 run fueled by relentless defense that forced seven Lion turnovers. Southern Virginia scored all 15 of their first-quarter points off those turnovers, heading into the second quarter with a 15-5 lead.

Piedmont responded in the second quarter with a 19-9 run, flipping the momentum and sending the Knights into halftime trailing 24-23. Despite 10 turnovers by both teams in the quarter, the Lions found their rhythm offensively, shooting 43.8% from the field and 50% (2-4) from three-point range. Meanwhile, Southern Virginia struggled offensively, shooting just 27.6% from the floor, 15.5% from three, and 37.5% from the free-throw line, allowing Piedmont to stage a comeback.

The Knights came out strong in the third quarter, with Kempler and Abigail Snyder leading the charge. Quick buckets and consistent offensive execution, paired with dominant rebounding, allowed Southern Virginia to rebuild their lead. The Knights ended the quarter with a 10-point advantage, capped by a layup from Addison Newman.

The fourth quarter was a nail-biter, featuring back-and-forth action that came down to the wire. Southern Virginia struggled offensively, shooting just 15.4% from the field. Despite this, their strong defense kept them in the game. However, fouls began to add up, giving the Lions opportunities at the free-throw line. A crucial three-pointer from Saydee Allred broke up a six-point scoring run by Piedmont, helping the Knights maintain a narrow edge.

In the final four and a half minutes, the Knights were unable to score from the field, but clutch free throws from Snyder with seven seconds remaining sealed the game, putting Southern Virginia up by five to secure the 54-49 victory.

Snyder and Aysia Foster led the Knights with 10 points apiece, while Snyder also grabbed 11 rebounds to record a double-double. Rebounding was closely contested, with Piedmont narrowly edging out the Knights 45-41. Both teams were nearly even in turnovers (Southern Virginia 27, Piedmont 28) and steals (17 each).

A key factor in the win was Southern Virginia's exceptional free-throw shooting, going 15-16 (93.8%) from the line, compared to Piedmont's 16-25 (64.0%).

The Knights will now enjoy a holiday break before returning to action on January 4th. Southern Virginia resumes conference play at home against Greensboro College at 2:00 PM in Knight Arena.

For the most up-to-date information and details on the team, visit knightathletics.com and follow @knight_wbb on Instagram.