UNIONVILLE – The Community Viqueens saw a 16-point lead evaporate to four at halftime, but the Viqueens righted the ship by holding the Huntland Lady Hornets to four points in the third quarter as the Viqueens defeated the Lady Hornets 56-42 in a basketball contest Friday night.
Community (5-3) never trailed and avenged an overtime loss on the road to the Lady Hornets earlier in the season.
The Viqueens started out in grand fashion in the opening quarter to gain the upper hand. 
M.J. Simmons scored nine points while Zoey Dixon and Haley Mitchell each added treys as Community took a 15-8 lead heading to the second quarter.
With the help of five points from Mitchell, the Viqueens extended their lead to 28-12 with 2:50 remaining in the quarter before Huntland went on a run.
Huntland used a press that gave the Viqueens problems and scored the next 12 points to cut the Community lead to 28-24 at the break.
"We jumped out to a great lead but didn't like that run right before the half," Coach Cody Pierce of the Viqueens said. 
"We were able to come back out in the second half and settle in and get back to what we were doing in the first quarter," Pierce added.
Simmons and Mitchell each scored five points and Dixon added a three-pointer to help extend the Viqueen lead in the third quarter. 
Community outscored the Lady Hornets 13-4 and took a 41-28 lead to the final quarter.
"We were going to make sure we contested all their shots and not give them easy layups," Pierce said. 
Addison Brothers scored six points as the Viqueens maintained a double-digit advantage throughout the quarter despite Shelby Cawthon fouling out and Simmons picking up her fourth foul. 
Community protected its lead down the stretch and used an 8-8 performance at the free throw line in the final two minutes to thwart off any Lady Hornet attempt at a comeback.
Simmons scored 18 points while Mitchell added 16 for the Viqueens.
Jocy May and Kinsley Kilpatrick each scored 10 points to pace the Lady Hornets.
The Viqueens finished 16-of-19 at the foul line while Huntland was 10-of-12.  
Community continues its three-game home stand by hosting Richland Tuesday night. 
Game time is 6 p.m.                                                                           
        
Huntland        8 16   4 14 — 42
Community  15 13 13 15 — 56
 
Huntland: Jocy May 10, Logan McLennan 9, Aysia Williams 6, Maddie Burks 1, Bailey Morris, Kinsley Kilpatrick 10, Yareli Avales 4, Riley Maxwell 2.
Community: M. J. Simmons 18, Haley Mitchell 16, Addison Brothers 9, Zoey Dixon 8, Shelby Cawthon 2, Anna Haskins 3, Raegan Haley, Jayla Mangrum, Izzy Martinez.
3-Point goals: Huntland (4): Kilpatrick 2, Williams 2; Community (8): Mitchell 4, Dixon 2, Brothers, Haskins.
Halftime score: Community 28, Huntland 24.