FERRUM, Va. -- The Ferrum Panthers held off the Methodist women's basketball team to earn a 53-50 win at Swartz Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon.
 
Methodist rallied from a five-point deficit (40-35) to start the third quarter and take a 44-42 lead, but the Panthers came back and held on to defeat the Monarchs. Methodist, which saw a three-game winning streak snapped, now sits at 8-4 overall and 4-1 in the USA South. Ferrum improves to 6-9 overall and 4-2 in the USA South.
 
The Monarchs opened the fourth period with a 9-2 run to take the aforementioned 44-42 lead 5:29 to play. Alexis Wallace split a pair of free throws to kick start the run. After a Jalisia Campbell jumper, Wallace hit a jumper of her own, and Campbell scored once again to make it 42-42 with 6:33 to play. Jasmine Canady capped the run with a jump shot before the Panthers regrouped.
 
Four points from FC's Kemani Crawford and a free throw by Jasmine Barr pushed the Panthers out to a 47-44 lead by the 3:12 mark. Ferrum's lead in the final minutes reached six points before MU's Monique Lofton hit a three pointer on the game's final play to account for the final score.
 
Methodist forced Ferrum into 24 turnovers, but the Panthers held a 49-34 edge in rebounding. Ferrum was also 13-of-19 from the free throw line (.684), while Methodist was just 10-of-21 (.476) at the line.
 
Wallace led the Monarchs with 11 points and six rebounds. Canady had nine points, five boards and four assists. Ayanna Pegues added nine points, and Campbell finished with six points and six rebounds.
 
Zarkia Mattox led all scorers with 18 points to go with seven rebounds. Crawford had a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Krista Cox scored 10 points. Jessie O'Conner pulled down eight rebounds.
 
Methodist will now return home to face Salem on Tuesday at 7:00 pm.