DANVILLE, Va. — The Averett University women's basketball team dropped Wednesday night's home game to Emory & Henry College, 79-67. Senior Samm Chandler scored a season-high 25 points in the effort.  

With the score tied at four early in the first quarter, the Wasps used a 7-0 run over a minute-and-a-half span to build an 11-4 lead. The Cougars would fight back and go into the second quarter only trailing by four at 20-16.

A Samm Chandler three-pointer with 5:46 remaining in the second quarter cut the Emory & Henry lead to 30-29. However, Averett got into some foul trouble which impeded them from taking the lead. The Cougars, though, would pull to within one again at 32-31 with under a minute left in the half on a made free throw by sophomore Ravyn Johnson. Emory & Henry would answer with four of their own made baskets at the charity stripe to lead 36-31 at halftime.

Averett struggled to get consistent stops on the defensive end in the third quarter as the Wasps were able to extend their lead to as much as 12. Emory & Henry headed into the final frame leading 60-48.

In the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, another Samm Chandler three-pointer followed by a steal and a made basket in transition by junior Alixis Roccia brought Averett to within eight at 64-56. Each side traded a bucket before Samm Chandler made a great defensive play which led to a three-point play on the other end by junior Amani Ajayi to bring the Cougar deficit to five at 66-61 with 4:43 remaining.

This would be as close as Averett would get, though, as the Wasps were able to push their lead back to as much as 12 to close out the game and claim victory at 79-67.

Averett opens up conference play on Friday, Dec. 8, when they travel to Rocky Mount, North Carolina to take on N.C. Wesleyan College. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.