SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. –  Junior guard Marley McLaughlin (Haymarket, Va./Battlefield) scored a career and game-high 30 points to lead  the Shepherd women's basketball team to a 78-71 win over Fayetteville State  in first day action of the Conference Challenge in the season opener for the Rams on Friday at the Butcher Center.

McLaughlin connected on 9-of- 18 field goals with a 6-of-13 effort from three-point range. She was 6-of-8 from the foul line.

Freshman guard  Jordan Smith (Manassas, Va./Colgan) tossed in 19 points in her collegiate debut, while freshman  guard Abby Beeman (Ridgely, W.Va./Frankfort) added 12 points and dished out a game-high seven assists in her first game as a Ram. Beeman also tied junior forward Sydney Clayton (Frederick, Md./St. John's) with  a team-high six rebounds.

Shepherd had a 46-32 lead at the half as McLaughlin (20) and Smith (18) teamed for 38 first-half points.

Shepherd shot 44.1 percent (26-59) from the floor with a 43.8 percent effort (14-32) from three-point range for the game. The Rams connected on 66.7 percent (12-18) of their free throws.

Fayetteville State hit on 49.2 percent (31-63) from the floor with a 16.7 percent (1-6) performance from beyond the arc. The Broncos connected on 42.1 percent (8-19) of their free throws.

Fayetteville State had a 42-32 edge in rebounding. The Rams forced 23 turnovers and committed 21.

The Rams return to action on Saturday when they host Virginia State for a 2 p.m. contest.