SALEM, Va. – The Geneva College women's basketball team saw Roanoke pull away late in its opening game of the Roanoke Susan Dunagan Holiday Classic on Monday evening, breaking open a one-point game in the fourth quarter with a big run to capture an 80-60 victory over the Golden Tornadoes.  Geneva will attempt to rebound tomorrow on the final day of the event.

Senior Anna Ulmer opened the scoring with a bucket in the first quarter, but Roanoke answered with seven straight points to grab the early advantage.  Buckets from senior Emily Garvin and sophomore Arionna White pulled Geneva within 12-8, but the Maroons scored the next seven points to take a double-digit lead.

A driving layup from freshman Regan Kerr began a seven-point Golden Tornado run to finish off the first quarter, though.  Freshman Kassandra Garcia knocked down Geneva's first three-pointer of the game, and freshman Aubrey Greenmun's bucket sent the women into the first break trailing 19-15.

Garvin opened the second quarter with another basket to cap off nine straight points, pulling Geneva within two points, but Roanoke extended its lead back to eight points, 32-24, with four minutes left in the half.  The Golden Tornadoes finished the second quarter like they finished the first, though, outscoring the Maroons 9-1 over the final minutes of the quarter, pulling even at 33-33 going into the break.  Ulmer scored, Kerr hit a three-pointer, Garvin hit a jumper and freshman Kira Bonanno laid one in to account for the run to close the half.

A Garvin free throw to open the third quarter gave Geneva its first lead since Ulmer's opening bucket of the game.  The game went back-and-forth over the next ten minutes, with Geneva taking a three-point lead, 48-45, on two free throws from Garcia.  Roanoke pulled back ahead at the end of the quarter break, though, 53-52.

Geneva was still within one point, 58-57, after a three-pointer from junior Aizlyn Thompson with seven minutes left in the game.  However, Roanoke finished the game with a flurry, outscoring the Golden Tornadoes 22-3 over the final seven minutes, pulling away for the 80-60 victory.

Garvin led the team with 17 points, eight rebounds and four assists.  Ulmer added 11 points, while Garcia finished with ten points.  Geneva shot 23-of-67 (34.3%) from the floor, 5-of-26 (19.2%) from deep.  The women committed 25 turnovers, which proved too difficult to overcome.

Roanoke shot 29-of-68 (42.6%) from the floor, 10-of-30 (33.3%) from three-point range.  Ashley Fowler and Paige Breuer each scored 17 points for the Maroons.

Geneva will face the loser of the evening game on Monday between Denison and Albright tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. on the final day of the tournament.