VALDOSTA, Ga. - The No. 8 ranked Valdosta State Lady Blazer basketball team returned to the hardwood with a purpose on Friday at The Complex, which ended in an 87-53 rout of the Fort Valley State Wildcats.

The matchup between the two south region participants led to a 1-0 start for Valdosta State, while the Wildcats fell to 0-2 on the young season.

Aaliyah Cheatham sparked the Lady Blazers offensively with a three pointer just over one minute into the contest, and Valdosta State never looked back the rest of the night. Cheatham's sharp shooting was the story of the evening, as the junior put together an 8-of-14 shooting effort for a team-high 21 points. Five of Cheatham's field goals were three point shots.

Blazer Nation also got their first look at 5'0" freshman, Kayla Bonilla, and the Columbus, Ga. native did not disappoint. Bonilla was perfect in every sense of the word. Along with disrupting Fort Valley State with a pesky defensive performance, the newcomer also hit every shot she took, ending the night 3-of-3 from the field, 2-of-2 from three point range, and a perfect 4-of-4 from the free throw line.

Preseason All-GSC selection Kenya Samone' Dixon provided the consistent veteran presence on the floor that Lady Blazer fans have grown accustomed to, and she ended the night with 16 points and 12 rebounds for her first double-double of the year.

As a team, Valdosta State shot 48.3 percent from the field and 37.0 percent from the three point line. VSU outrebounded the Wildcats 43-30, and 13 offensive boards led to 12 put back points.

The Lady Blazers will continue opening weekend action at The Complex in Valdosta, Ga. on Saturday night at 6:00 p.m. against the visiting Albany State Golden Rams, who also fell on Friday night in Valdosta, Ga. in a neutral contest against West Florida.