CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.-- Longwood University women’s basketball fell 62-49 to Virginia in Charlottesville at the  James Paul Jones Arena on Saturday evening.  The Lancers (0-2) had a gallant effort in the second half, outscoring the Cavaliers 35-31 in the final twenty minutes.  Longwood was led by senior Keiva Small’s/Norfolk (Noview) 14 points, ten of which came in the second half.  The Lancers will return to action on Tuesday, November 13, when they travel to Loretta, Pa. for a 7 p.m. match-up with Saint Francis.
 

Virginia came out and scored the first six points of the game to grab the lead 6-0 lead into the first media timeout.  Longwood battled back and cut the deficit to two points after senior Odessa Williams/Stratford, Conn. (Stratford) sunk a jumper and junior Amber Sims/Lawrenceville (Brunswick Senior) put in a lay-up for the 6-4 score.  Virginia went up by 14 with 7:22 left in the half, but Longwood cut the deficit back to ten points on a jumper by Small and lay up by Williams to put the score at 22-12 with 6:14 left in the half.  The Cavaliers closed the half strong, outscoring the Lancers 9-2, for the 31-14 halftime lead.
 

The Lancers wasted no time out of the halftime break, as freshman Krystal Garrison/Fredericksburg (Courtland) hit a three to bring Longwood back within 14 early in the second half.  The Lancers would not quit and battled back from 22 points down to bring the game within nine points with 7:51 left in the game, as Longwood went on a 15-2 run led by Small’s six points.  Small started things off with a three and contributed a lay-up and free throw during the stretch.  Garrison ended the run with a three point shot that was answered on the other end of the floor with a pair of free throws by Kelly Hartig to put the score at 45-34 with 10:37 left in the game.
 

The Lancers would not give up and was able to cut the Cavaliers’ lead to seven on two occasions in a two minute span, after freshman Cierra Baker/Windsor, Conn. (Windsor) and junior Anna Steg/Vienna (George C. Marshall) each hit a lay-up with 7:53 left in the contest.  Small hit a pair of free throws to bring the Lancers within five with 7:19 left in the game, Virginia however finished the game strong outscoring the Lancers 15-7 down the stretch to preserve the win.
 

Garrison finished the game with nine points while Sims tallied eight in the contest.  Williams led the Lancers on the boards pulling down eight rebounds.  For the game, Longwood shot 36.8% from the floor, including 46.7% in the second half while the Cavaliers shot 38.3% for the game.