DELAND, Fla. (Interstat) — In a game defined by paint dominance and a decisive third-quarter surge, the William & Mary women’s basketball team secured a hard-fought 81-75 victory over Stetson on Friday afternoon at Edmunds Center.

The Tribe, now 6-4, overcame an early barrage of Stetson three-pointers by relentlessly attacking the interior, outscoring the Hatters 42-26 in the paint and grabbing 10 offensive rebounds to Stetson’s five. The most critical stretch came in the third quarter, where William & Mary turned a narrow 35-38 halftime deficit into a 60-57 lead heading into the final period. The Tribe outscored Stetson 25-22 in the quarter, establishing an interior presence that the Hatters could not consistently counter.

William & Mary’s victory was anchored by a standout performance from Jana Sallman. The 6-foot-3 junior from Cairo, Egypt, recorded a double-double with 19 points and 13 rebounds, adding six assists in 32 minutes. Her work on the glass and as a facilitator in the post proved pivotal. She was complemented by the scoring duo of Natalie Fox and Monet Dance, who each added 20 points. Fox, a 6-foot-4 forward from Lagrangeville, New York, also contributed four rebounds and two blocks, while Dance, a 5-foot-3 guard from Roswell, Georgia, dished out four assists.

Stetson, which fell to 6-3, was led by Aleah Sorrentino’s 19 points and 11 rebounds. The 6-foot-3 forward from Palm Bay, Florida, played 36 minutes. Mary McMillan added 15 points and a game-high seven assists for the Hatters, who relied heavily on the three-point shot, making 11 of 32 attempts. However, their 13 turnovers and William & Mary’s superior ball movement, evidenced by a 6-2 advantage in assists, were key differentiators.

The game opened at a frenetic pace, with Stetson’s Cameron Thomas and Rose Caso connecting from deep to help the Hatters take a 21-14 lead after the first quarter. William & Mary chipped away in the second, closing the gap to three points by halftime despite Stetson shooting 50% from three-point range in the half.

The third-quarter turnaround set the stage for a tense fourth. Stetson pulled within a single possession multiple times, but William & Mary consistently answered, often through Sallman in the post or drives from Dance. A late three-pointer from Stetson’s Cameron Thomas cut the lead to 73-75 with 1:21 remaining, but William & Mary closed the game at the free-throw line, with Dance hitting crucial shots in the final minute to seal the six-point win.

William & Mary shot 47% from the field but struggled from the perimeter, making just 5 of 18 three-point attempts, and from the free-throw line, converting only 14 of 25. Stetson finished at 45.6% from the field and 12 of 21 from the line. The Tribe’s offensive efficiency, scoring 81 points on 77 possessions for a rating of 105.4, edged out Stetson’s 75 points on 75 possessions for a 100.0 rating.

The win marked William & Mary’s third straight victory, while Stetson saw a three-game winning streak snapped. The Hatters had entered the contest with a 62.8% probability to win according to Interstat’s ELO system.

William & Mary continues its Florida trip with a game against Bethune-Cookman on Saturday in DeLand. Stetson will host Stonehill on Saturday.