VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Valdosta State women's basketball team outscored visiting Lynn University 21-11 in the fourth quarter Monday evening en route to a 64-57 win to improve to 3-1 on the year, while Lynn fell to 3-1.  
 
Behind the first double-double of the season from sophomore Erin Whalen with 12 points and 11 rebounds and 13 points each from junior Aryana Hicks and seniors Kiersten Nelson and Victoria Ikenasio, the Lady Blazers rallied from as many as 11 points down for the win.  Nelson went 6 of 10 from the field, while Whalen was 5 of 16 from the field with 11 rebounds, three assists and three steals.  Hicks finished 5 of 7 from the field, six assists and a team-high four steals, while Ikenasio was big off the bench, going 5 of 9 from the field with five rebounds, two blocks and two steals.  
 
As a team, VSU shot 25 of 53 from the field for 47.2 percent, going a combined 15 of 27 from the field in the second half, after opening just 9 of 26 for the first two quarters.  The Lady Blazers were just 1 of 8 from distance and 13 of 25 from the line, while holding a 31-27 lead in rebounding in a game that saw five lead changes and three ties.  
 
Lynn was led by 30 points and 12 rebounds from Jess Knight on 10 of 22 from the field, while she was 10 of 11 from the line as the only LU player in double figures.  The Fighting Knights shot 34.5 percent from the field on 19 of 55, while they were 1 of 12 from distance and 18 of 20 from the line.  VSU held a 22-16 advantage in points off turnovers, forcing Lynn into 20 miscues, while VSU had 19.  
 
The Fighting Knights raced out to an 11-0 lead to begin the game as Knight had eight points during the run.  Ikenasio hit two free throws and a turnaround jumper to pull the Lady Blazers within 11-7 with two minutes remaining in the quarter.  Nelson scored in the paint pulling VSU within 15-11 through ten minutes.  After opening 0 of 6, VSU heated up in the final five minutes of the quarter, going 4 of 7 from the field, while Lynn cooled off to 6 of 15 from the field for the frame. 

Nelson scored in the paint, cutting the deficit to 15-13 early in the second for her sixth point of the game and the second assist for Hicks.  A corner pocket triple from senior India Jordan gave VSU its first lead of the game at 16-15 and then Hicks scored off a miscue from the Fighting Knights for an 18-15 score for an 11-0 run since the first quarter.  

Knight ended the run with a bucket pulling LU within 18-17 with 6:01 remaining in the half ending the scoring drought of over four playing minutes.  Senior Jacey Justice hit her first bucket of the game for a 20-17 lead with 5:16 left in the half.  Knight hit a bucket and one of two free throws to tie the game at 22 with 2:39 to play in the half.  Knight earned an offensive rebound and foul, making two more free throws for a 24-22 Fighting Knight lead as she scored the last five points.  VSU got a foul on Knight, for her second, with 3.8 seconds remaining and junior Mary McMorris hit two free throws pulling VSU within 26-25 at intermission.  
 
The half saw two lead changes and one tie as VSU shot 9 of 26 from the field for 34.6 percent, while it was 1 of 4 from distance and 6 of 8 from the line.  Lynn shot 9 of 29 from the field for 31 percent, including just 3 of 14 in the second quarter, while the Fighting Knights were 0 of 3 from distance and 8 of 9 from the line.  Knight had a game-high 15 points and six rebounds for Lynn, while the Lady Blazers had seven of eight players scored, led by seven points from Hicks.  

The first triple of the game from Lynn pushed the lead to 29-25 from Trinity Mocadlo on the first possession of the second half and then stretched the lead to 32-25 with a 6-0 run to start the second half.  Nelson scored inside from sophomore Erin Whalen to end the run, and an errant pass was intercepted by Whalen who scored on the break pulling VSU within 32-29.  Whalen found pay dirt again for her fifth point and a 32-21 deficit with 7:16 to play in the frame for a 32-31 deficit.  Whalen continued the hot hand for her eighth point of the frame, pulling VSU within 36-35 and a steal followed by a triple from senior Jillian Schenk gave VSU a 37-36 lead.  

Turnovers started to mount for the Lady Blazers as they had six in the quarter after having just five in the first two frames and a bucket off a miscue for Lynn pushed the deficit to seven at 46-39 with 1:03 remaining in the third.  Ikenasio scored following a timeout pulling VSU within five at 46-41.  Later, a turnover on the Fighting Knights gave VSU the last possession of the frame as Whalen fed Ikenasio for a bucket at the buzzer pulling the Lady Blazers within 46-43 through three quarters.  

A steal and layup from Hicks opened the fourth quarter and pulled VSU within one at 46-45.  Ikenasio earned two attempts off an offensive rebound as she tied the score at 46, with 8:37 to play.  Ikenasio would give VSU its first lead since 37-36 in the third with a layup from junior Mary McMorris and 48-46 with seven minutes to play.  Whalen had the theft and fast break where she missed her shot, but gathered the rebound and put back for the "and one" and a 51-48 lead with 5:19 to play.  Justice scored off a big rebound from Nelson for a 53-48 lead and a timeout from Lynn.

Nelson added to the Lady Blazer advantage with a bucket off an inbounds play for a 55-48 lead and then Schenk took the charge at the other end for the 19^th turnover on the Fighting Knights as Hicks cashed in with a layup at the other end, 57-48. 

A big bucket from Nelson with the assist to senior Jillian Schenk for Nelson's 13^th point of the game gave VSU a 61-50 lead with 1:53 to play.  Knight earned the "and one" for a 61-53 score and 97 seconds to play at the other end.

Knight made two free throws pulling Lynn within 61-55 with 43 seconds to play.  It was Knight's 28^th point of the game to lead all scorers.  Knight scored for her 30^th point pulling LU within 62-57 with 20 seconds remaining.  Justice was immediately fouled, but Whalen came up with her tenth rebound of the game for her tenth rebound.  She was immediately fouled, but missed four free throws between Justice and Whalen, however Schenk came up with the rebound and made one of two free throws for a 63-57 score and 16.3 seconds remaining.  
 
Hicks came up with a huge steal as the Fighting Knights advanced the ball.  She was fouled with 7.4 seconds remaining, making one of two free throws for a 64-57 final score. 
VSU heads on the road for the first time this season as it begins a four-game road trip Thursday at 7 p.m. at Georgia Southwestern.  The Lady Blazers won't be back at The Complex until Dec. 15, for the final three games before the Christmas Holiday.