VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. --- The Shenandoah University women's basketball team is headed to the Salem Civic Center for the first time in three seasons after upsetting sixth-seeded Virginia Wesleyan, 82-73, Tuesday night in the opening round of the ODAC Tournament.

No. 11 Shenandoah (6-20) advances to Friday's 8 p.m. quarterfinal round game versus third-seeded Emory and Henry thanks to its second-ever win over Virginia Wesleyan (13-13).

The two teams traded the lead eight times and were tied on four occasions before SU took the lead for good with a 9-0 run to start the fourth quarter. Kirstyn Arcata, who had a game-high 28 points, got that run started by tying the game with a 3-pointer 42 seconds into the stanza. The junior followed with a pair of free throws at 6:23, and after consecutive Mia Moore jumpers, the Hornets had a 64-58 lead with 4:57 remaining.

Virginia Wesleyan pulled to within four on three separate occasions as the two squads traded baskets over the next two minutes, but the last of Arcata's seven three-pointers put SU on top 71-64 with 1:24 to go.

Amanda Gerni tried to make things interesting for the Marlins with 41-seconds to play, burying a long-distance trey to cut their deficit to 74-69.  The Hornets converted on 8-of-10 from the line down the stretch, off-setting two made buckets by Virginia Wesleyan thru the final whistle. Shenandoah was 26-of-35 (74 percent) from the charity stripe in the game.

Arcata's 21 points per powered by a school-record tying seven three pointers in 10 tries. That 70-percent mark established a new school standard. French notched a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Mia Moore came off the bench for 18 points and eight boards.

Jayla Harris led Virginia Wesleyan with 30 points, marking her sixth 30-point game of the season. NiAsia Caldwell and Gerni each chipped in 12 off the bench. Gerni made four from deep to account for her tallies and added a team-high nine rebounds.

Notes: This is the third time in five seasons of ODAC play that the women's basketball program has advanced to the quarterfinals. In 2013, as a sixth-seed, the Hornets defeated Hollins in the opening round before falling to No. 3 Virginia Wesleyan in the quarters. In 2014, SU was the eighth seed and defeated No. 9 Randolph before dropping a one-point decision to top-seeded Eastern Mennonite in the quarterfinals.

Friday's game versus Emory and Henry is the third matchup of the season for the Hornets and Wasps. E&H swept the season series, winning 103-43 in Emory on December 3 and 64-40 in Winchester on January 4.