ROME, Ga. – The Valdosta State women's basketball team used a 24-11 second quarter and a 15-0 run to start the frame en route to a 66-59 victory at Shorter Saturday afternoon as the Lady Blazers improved to 16-7 overall and 10-5 in Gulf South Conference play.  Sophomore Kayla Bonilla had a team-high 17 points in the game.
 
Bonilla went 7 of 11 from the field and 3 of 5 from the line, while recording a team-high seven rebounds in the contest leading two players in double figures.  Senior Maddy Corazza added 13 points on 5 of 10 from the field with one triple and went 2 of 3 from the line. 
 
VSU shot 47.2 percent from the field on 25 53, while going 6 of 15 from downtown and 10 of 18 from the line.  The Lady Blazers held Shorter to 33.3 percent shooting on 21 of 63, while the Hawks went 4 of 26 from beyond the arc and 13 of 18 from the line.  VSU held a 33-24 lead in rebounding.  A total of 18 miscues by the Lady Blazers kept Shorter in the game as it held a 22-8 lead in points off turnovers.
 
The Hawks (1-21, 0-15 GSC) drooped their 18^th-straight game, but was led by a game-high 21 points from Jasmine Gaines as she was 6 of 15 from the floor, 1 of 6 from range and 8 of 11 from the line, while recording seven rebounds leading three players in double figures. 
 
The Lady Blazers trailed by three early in the game and were down one at 14-13 at the end of the first quarter.  In the second quarter, VSU asserted itself and used the 15-0 run to take command of the game through the first 3:49.  Corazza scored eight points during the run to lead the way. 
 
Tatum Ragsdale hit a jumper with 5:53 left in the half for the Hawks' first bucket of the quarter.  A bucket from Bonilla gave VSU its largest lead of the half at 34-20 with 1:43 left in the half as VSU settled for a 37-25 lead at intermission. 
 
VSU built the lead to 47-28 early in the second half for a 10-3 run to start the half, but Shorter wouldn't go away quietly, however.  The Hawks closed the frame on a 13-8 run for a 55-41 score through three quarters.
 
In the fourth, a triple from Ragsdale with 4:33 left sparked the Hawks as they closed the game on a 12-3 run to pull within six with 24 seconds left, but senior Sonya Franklin hit one of two free throws for the three-score advantage as VSU won 66-59. 
 
The Lady Blazers return home for a pair of huge conference games next week, beginning with Mississippi College on Thursday at 6 p.m. at The Complex, followed by a game with Delta State Saturday at 2 p.m., for Hall of Fame Weekend.