FREDERICK, Md. - The Hood College women's basektball team dropped its last game of 2013 to the Shenandoah University Hornets, 70-55, in non-conference action.

Verkia Smith (Waldorf, Md. / North Point) matched a career-high with 14 points for the Blazers.

The Blazers jumped out to a 5-0 lead with 17:09 on the clock with a Rachel Wiley (Frederick, Md. / Tuscarora) free throw, along with baskets by Danni Medovich (Woodsboro, Md. / Walkersville) and Rachel Kessler (Middletown, Md. / Middletown). 

After Megan Turner (Cape May, N.J. / Lower Cape May Regional) gave Hood the 13-10 lead at 7:02, the Hornets responded with a 12-0 run over the next two and half minutes to take a 22-13 lead. Imani Huggins scored seven of her 10 first half points in the streak.

Two free throws by Medovich with 11 seconds left in the half trimmed the Hood deficit to 28-22 at the intermission.

Medovich led Hood with six points at the half, with Smith and Kessler both snagging four rebounds. Huggins led all scorers with her 10 and led all players with six rebounds. 

Shenandoah used a 9-0 run to take a 37-22 run in the first four minutes of the second half, with Cystal Petrus scoring seven. Petrus later gave the Hornets their biggest lead of the night, 53-32, with a pair of free throws with 9:03 to play. She scored 17 of her game-high 19 points in the second half as the Hornets put the game away.

Smith went 8-of-12 from the charity stripe to help match her career-high in scoring, set earlier this month. The sophomore also finished with five rebounds, three assists and two steals. 

As a team, Hood hit 24-of-34 free throws during the game. The 71 percent accuracy was the Blazers' second best of the year, while the 24 made matched a season-high.

Kessler and Alexis Briscoe (Columbia, Md. / Long Reach) each grabbed seven rebounds as Hood held a 50-44 edge on the glass. It marked the third time this season the Blazers have had at least 50 rebounds in a contest. 

Briscoe also had two blocks, while Kessler added three steals.

A dozen different players scored for Hood in the game. Turner, making her first career start, scored her first career points in the contest.

For SU, Petrus went 11-of-12 from the foul line to lead three players in double figures. Imani Heggins had 15 points and nine rebounds before fouling out. Holly Chittenden chipped in with 14 points and seven boards.

The Hornets shot 41 percent from the floor and limited Hood to just 24 percent in the game.

The Blazers stay at BB&T Arena to host Elizabethtown on January 4 at 1 p.m.