WLU Secures Victory Over SVU with Strong Defense and Bench

Washington and Lee University women’s basketball secured a victory over Southern Virginia University, pulling away with a defensive performance and bench contributions down the stretch.

Washington and Lee Locks Down Defense to Seal Victory

The final frame opened with a flurry of substitutions as Washington and Lee completely overhauled their lineup, sending out Sam Collins, Zou Raine, Bri Shuttlewood, and Riley Bryant to protect their commanding lead. Southern Virginia struggled to find any rhythm against the fresh defensive pressure. Caroline Shimp got things moving immediately for the visitors, converting a layup in the paint off her own offensive rebound to push the score to 71-34.

Sam Collins followed shortly after with another interior basket, and Riley Bryant capitalized on a fastbreak opportunity with a smooth layup assisted by Shuttlewood, extending the advantage to 41 points at 75-34. Zou Raine anchored the defensive end with a crucial block against Kensey Peterson, allowing Shimp to collect the rebound and dish out an assist to Collins for yet another fastbreak layup.

Southern Virginia Battles Through Foul Trouble

Midway through the fourth quarter, Southern Virginia found some brief offensive momentum when Kensey Peterson drove hard for a layup in the paint, cutting the deficit to 77-36. Lyla Seneca added another paint basket shortly after, giving the home crowd a spark. However, foul trouble quickly mounted for the Knights.

Natalie Lanna picked up a foul that sent Olive Bigham to the line, where Bigham calmly sank a pair of free throws. Bigham later added two more points from the charity stripe and secured a steal on Seneca to disrupt Southern Virginia’s transition game. Despite a blocked shot by Peterson and defensive rebounds from the team, the deficit proved too steep to overcome as the clock wound down.

Box Score Breakdown

The lopsided final score reflected Washington and Lee’s efficiency on both ends of the floor, particularly in transition and second-chance points.

Team	Final Score	Key Contributors
Washington and Lee	79	Sam Collins, Caroline Shimp, Riley Bryant, Olive Bigham
Southern Virginia	38	Kensey Peterson, Lyla Seneca

The contest showcased the depth of the Washington and Lee roster, with players like Bigham and Collins delivering immediate offensive output off the bench while keeping Southern Virginia’s scorers heavily contained.