Women's Basketball | 2/11/2012 4:02:00 PM

Box Score FERRUM, Va. - The Ferrum College women's basketball team maintained their hold on the top of the conference edging the Monarchs 73-62 on Saturday afternoon.

The Panthers (19-4, 14-2) jumped out on top early, but Methodist scored seven straight points to lead 10-6 with 15:31 remaining in the first half. Both teams exchanged the lead before the Monarchs (12-11, 9-7) took the 20-19 advantage on a layup from Jackie Lyles midway through the period. Ferrum came back with a 13-3 run to lead 32-23 with 2:39 on the clock. Christina Schrader cut the lead to seven, but the Panthers took a 33-25 lead at the break.

Methodist's Jordan Tyson scored the first basket of the second half and the Monarchs moved within five on two different occasions, but Ferrum took their largest lead of the game at 57-41 with 8:32 remaining. T.T. Taylor and Iesha Hayes responded with 3-pointers to move the Monarchs within 10, but with five minutes left the Panthers led 65-49. Methodist kept battling and movd within nine points on three different occasions in the final five minutes, but Ferrum always responded to hold on for the 73-62 win.

Lyles led the Monarchs with 17 points and seven rebounds while Courtney Woods scored 13 points and Schrader finished with 10 points.

Shea Smith paced the Panthers with 20 points while Kristen Keith had 17 points and Katy Kipps scored 12 points.

Methodist will be back in action on Wednesday when they host N.C. Wesleyan College at 5:30 p.m.

Box Score