VALDOSTA, Ga. – Despite double-doubles from graduate student Kwajelin Farrar and sophomore Jirah Ards for the second time this week, the Valdosta State women's basketball team was unable to complete the season sweep of Montevallo Saturday afternoon, falling 78-70.
 
VSU, who dropped its first home game of the season, saw its seven-game winning streak come to an end in the loss, as it fell to 14-2 overall and 14-2 in Gulf South Conference play.  Montevallo improved to 8-4 overall and 8-3 in conference play.  VSU won seven games to begin the season before a loss at Lee and won seven following the loss before Saturday's setback.
 
Farrar had a game-high 19 points and 13 rebounds for her ninth double-double of the season to lead the team.  She finished the game 9 of 13 from the field, while pulling down six offensive rebounds and seven defensively.  Ards finished with 15 points and ten rebounds for her second double-double of the season.  She was 5 of 10 from the field, 2 of 5 from range and 3 of 4 from the line.  The duo also had double-doubles in the 64-47 win at West Florida on Tuesday.   Farrar was named the Guardian Bank Blazer Player of the Game for her efforts Saturday.
 
Montevallo has had the upper hand in the fourth quarter this season versus VSU as the Falcons have outscored the Lady Blazers 70-50 in the final quarter, including 29-17 on Saturday afternoon after VSU had built as many as an eight-point lead in the third quarter.  The Falcons held a slim 31-30 lead at intermission.  In the first meeting in December, UM roared back from a 47-36 deficit, outscoring VSU 25-15 in the final stanza.
 
In the third, the Lady Blazers raced out to a 13-4 run for a 43-35 lead with 6:03 left in the frame capped with two senior Kayla Bonilla charity tosses.  She finished the game with 17 points, one trey and 6 of 6 from the line.  The Falcons cut the deficit to three and VSU led 53-49 at the end of the frame.  VSU had its best shooting quarter in the third, going 9 of 15 from the field and 5 of 6 from the line.
 
The Falcons broke a 66-66 tie with a triple from Jordan Jones at the 2:27 mark, starting a 9-0 run for a 75-66 lead with 45 seconds left.  UM made its free throws down the stretch, going 5 for 8 in the final four minutes from the line.  VSU was unable to convert at the other end as it missed three shots and had one turnover during the UM run. 
 
After shooting a season-high 61 percent last night in the 85-71 victory over Montevallo, the Lady Blazers went 25 of 61 from the field on Saturday for 41 percent.  Last night VSU drained 11 treys, but had just four on Saturday, going 4 of 22 from range.  VSU was 16 of 20 from the line, while pulling down 45 rebounds, including 14 on the offensive end.  A total of 21 turnovers by the Lady Blazers proved costly Saturday after the team had a season-high 32 turnovers on Friday evening.  UM made the Lady Blazers pay for the miscues, outscoring VSU 22-9 on points off turnovers on Saturday and was one of the few teams all season to outscore VSU in the paint Saturday, 50-42. 
 
Montevallo shot 41.7 percent for the game on 30 of 72 in Saturday's victory.  It was 3 of 16 from range and 15 of 23 from the line.  The Falcons had 40 rebounds for the game and committed just 13 turnovers.  Four starters were in double figures led by 15 points from Jones as she was 6 of 9 from the field with one triple and 2 of 2 from the line.  Marisa Snodgrass, who is the reigning GSC East Division Player of the Week, went 6 of 8 from the line to lead the team.
 
The Lady Blazers made their final road trip of the regular season next weekend at Auburn Montgomery.  Friday's game is set for a 7 p.m. ET tip, followed by a 3 p.m. ET start on Saturday.