ROME, Ga. -- The Berry College women's basketball team won their first game of the season Saturday afternoon in their home opener against Hendrix College 62-52.

Sophomore Sydney Blankenship led the Vikings with 18 points while senior Jana Morning tallied 14. For the Warriors, Madi Pierce and Isis Woods each had 15 points.

"I was very pleased with our overall performance," said head coach Thomas Johnson. "We played hard and competitive on both sides of the ball and adjusted when necessary. Hendrix plays well and aggressive, so we are going to enjoy this win for a brief moment and get back focused for the second game tomorrow."
 
For the first couple minutes of the game it was a back and forth battle between the two, but a big momentum swing for the Vikings, following back-to-back layups from Madeline Sandman and Raven Washington, gave them just what they needed to run away with an early lead.  

Berry profited off many fouls by the Warriors, taking advantage of their missed opportunities. Shooting 57.1 percent from the field, the Vikings led the Warriors 24-6 at the end of the first. 13 of the 24 Berry points belonged to Blankenship.

In the second quarter, Berry showcased dominant defense and expanded their lead to 19. However, Hendrix answered back with back-to-back three-pointers from Woods and Alicia McCloria, cutting Berry's lead to 15. With only shooting 25 percent from the field, the Warriors went into the half trailing 32-21.

The Warriors came out strong in the second half, bringing the game within eight points late in the fourth, but the Vikings were able to seal the deal with a layup from McKenna Lentych and go ahead free-throws from Morning.

The Vikings are back in action tomorrow as they face Hendrix College for the final round of the series. To keep up with the latest women's basketball news, follow the team on Twitter @BerryVikings or @BerryWBB.