GEORGETOWN, Texas -  McMurry University women's basketball snapped its three-game losing skein with a 58-44 victory over Southwestern University in a non-conference bout at the Robertson Center. The War Hawks improved to 2-8 on the year, while the Pirates sunk to 1-8.
 
But the War Hawks had to withstand a strong second-half run by SU to chalk up the win. McMurry opened the contest by taking a 13-5 lead after one quarter and extending that advantage to 29-13 at the intermission.
 
But coming out of the locker room, Southwestern slashed McM's advantage with a 22-10 spree in the fourth, making it 39-35 score.  During its run in the third, Southwestern drew within three (35-32) and with just under nine minutes remaining in the game, the Pirates trailed by just four points, 41-37. 
 
However, the War Hawks closed on a run of their own. McM out-dueled the Bucs down the stretch, 17-7, to secure the win. Sarah Doherty tallied the final four points of the game to keep the Pirates at bay.
 
Doherty finished the game with 12 points, after connecting on 4-of-8 from the field and 3-for-4 from the free throw stripe. Doherty also had a game-high five assists.
 
Junior forward Skyler Reyna narrowly missed what would have been her fifth double-double of the year, booking a team-leading 14 points and hauling in nine rebounds. Reyna was 6-of-13 from the field and hit both of her free throw tries.
 
Sophomore transfer Brittany Rodgers was also in double figures with 10 points, making her living at the free throw line. Rodgers was 8-of-14 from the charity stripe and was 1-for-1 on her lone field goal attempt. She also had four boards, a blocked shot and two assists to her credit
 
Senior guard Dominique Machuca converted three-of-7 from beyond the arc for her nine points and accounting for all but one of the War Hawks' baskets from long range (Doherty had the other). Junior backcourt mate Isabel Carrion grabbed six rebound and scored five points, along with a pair of assists.
 
London Weilert added four points. Savannah Johnson and Jaymi Gordon-Dean each had two points to round out McMrry's offense.
 
The War Hawks will be off all next week for finals. The team will return to action on Thursday, December 20 at home versus the American Southwest Conference's current No. 2 team, UT-Dallas. Tipoff at Kimbrell Arena is slated for 3 p.m.