CARROLLTON, Ga. – Behind a 21-7 third quarter and a 37-17 second half, the No. 7 Valdosta State women's basketball team posted a 68-42 victory at West Georgia Friday evening.  VSU sophomore Jirah Ards had a VSU career-best 16 points leading three players in double figures.
 
Ards went 6 of 12 from the field, 1 of 1 from range and 3 of 3 from the line, while pulling down nine rebounds as she earned Guardian Bank Blazer Player of the Game.  Senior Kayla Bonilla had 13 points and five steals, while junior Abby Rouse had ten points off the bench.
 
The Gulf South Conference-leading Lady Blazers (11-1, 11-1 GSC) shot 43.1 percent for the game on 28 of 65, while the team was 4 of 16 from range and 8 of 14 from the line.  VSU pulled down 46 rebounds, including 17 on the offensive end and outrebounded UWG 46-26, including 17-3 on the offensive end.  VSU led 15-5 in second chance points and forced 25 turnovers in the game, leading to a 34-11 lead in points off miscues. 

UWG (5-6, 5-6 GSC) was led by 11 points from Siera Carter as the Wolves shot just 31.9 percent from the field on 15 of 47.  UWG was 3 of 16 from range and 9 of 12 from the line. 
 
The Lady Blazers and UWG will meet Saturday at 2 p.m. for the finale of the regular season series.  Fans can access links to live stats, audio/video streaming, ticket information and more at vstateblazers.com on the women's basketball schedule page.  Mike Chason will have the call of Saturday's game on WJEM 94.3 FM and online at foxsportsvaldosta.com.
 
VSU won for just the second time in Carrollton since 2012, and now is 12-10 against UWG since 2011.  Friday's victory also marked the third-straight in the series for the red and black, while it was second year head coach Deandra Schirmer's 29^th victory at VSU (29-12).
 
The second half has been the difference in the two meetings this season, thus far, as VSU has outscored the Wolves 55-19 in the third quarter alone and 86-43 in the second half.  VSU led Friday evening 31-25 at intermission and then opened the second half 18-0 run for a 49-25 lead with 2:23 left in the quarter capped by a jumper from Bonilla.  UWG pulled within 18 on a trey from Carter late in the frame, but Rouse scored in the paint for a 52-32 advantage through three quarters.
 
The Wolves pulled within 18 twice through the first four minutes of the fourth quarter, but a 6-0 run by VSU pushed the lead back to 24, at 62-38 on a layup from Bonilla with 3:54 left.  VSU finished the game on a 12-4 run over the final 6:13 of the quarter.
 
The Lady Blazers came out of the gates scoring ten of the first 12 points and a 6-0 run.  Ards was on fire early, scoring six of VSU's first ten points.  VSU then built the lead to 15-5 and an 11-3 run, but UWG responded with a 7-0 run leading into the second quarter for a 20-15 VSU lead with 7:03 left in the half.
 
Ards hit two free throws for the first points since the 2-minute mark in the first quarter for a 22-15 lead with 6:11 left in the first half as the Lady Blazers had the one scoring drought for the game.  A triple from sophomore Kendall Bollmer was the Lady Blazers' first made field goal of the second quarter and a 26-17 lead with 4:34 left in the half.  The old fashion three-point play from Bonilla pushed the lead to 29-17 with four minutes left, but UWG ended the half on an 8-2 run for the 31-25 margin.