NORFOLK, Va. – A balanced attack and a solid defensive effort propelled the William & Mary women's basketball team to its seventh straight victory with a 65-52 triumph at Norfolk State Thursday night. The win improves the Tribe's record to 7-1, while the Spartans fall to 4-5.
 
Senior Marlena Tremba paced W&M with a game-high 15 points, adding three rebounds, and three assists. Classmate Alexandra Masaquel and freshman Victoria Reynolds each added 10 points. Masaquel added five rebounds and two blocks, while Reynolds grabbed six boards and added a steal.
 
After a back-and-forth start to the game, the Tribe raced out to a 5-0 run gaining a 17-13 advantage with 2:15 left in the first quarter. Tremba opened the run with a traditional 3-point play, before senior Latrice Hunter hit a jumper.
 
However, Norfolk State closed the first stanza with a 6-0 run of its own taking a 19-17 advantage after the first 10 minutes. Alexys Long opened the spurt with a jumper, before Jordan Strode tied it with a layup. A pair of Dominique Harper freebies gave the Spartans the lead.
 
Leading 24-23, the Tribe closed the first half on a 9-0 run, building its largest first half lead at 33-23. Reynolds opened the run with a triple, before junior Jeanne Gaumont hit another. Right before the horn sounded, Tremba hit a 3-pointer ending the run.
 
W&M put the game away with a 13-0 run towards the end of the third quarter. Masaquel sparked the run with a pair of free throws, before Tremba completed her second traditional 3-point play of the game. The run continued as Gaumont and sophomore Bianca Boggs connected on back-to-back triples, before Hunter capped it with a jumper. The spurt pushed the Tribe lead up to 51-29 with 1:40 left in the third.
 
The Spartans closed the game with the final six points, cutting the final score to 65-52. Kayla Roberts paced the Spartans with four points during the final stretch.
 
W&M has now equaled the second-longest single-season winning streak in school history with seven in a row. The longest single-season winning streak is eight games. The Tribe won 21-consecutive games in early program history from 1926-30.
 
It was also the Tribe's fourth straight road win opening the season. It marks just the second time and the first since 1926-27 that the Tribe has accomplished that feat. W&M has never won five road games to open a single-season.
 
Junior Abby Rendle turned in nine points, six rebounds and four blocks. Gaumont had a season-high eight points, four rebounds, and two assists. Hunter also chipped in six points off of the bench, while grabbing three rebounds and two assists.
 
Roberts led NSU with a double-double on 15 points and 11 rebounds. She added two assists, two blocks, and two steals. Dominique Harper was also in double-figures for the Spartans with 14 points, chipping in two rebounds, an assist, and a block.
 
The Tribe returns to action as they open a three-game homestand on Dec. 18 against Mount St. Mary's. Tipoff from Kaplan Arena is set for 2 p.m.