VALDOSTA, Ga. – In the first home game for the Valdosta State women's basketball team since Nov. 26, the Lady Blazers came up just short in a 64-62 loss to West Florida Sunday afternoon at The Complex.  
 
VSU battled back from down as many as ten in the game and sophomore Erin Whalen pulled the Lady Blazers within 59-55 and a timeout by the Argonauts with 5:23 to play.  Out of the timeout, VSU forced a turnover and Whalen scored inside pulling VSU within two.  Another turnover and fast break bucket by Jordan tied the game at 59.  UWF's Haidyn Pitsch ended the run with the triple for the Argos for a 62-59 score with 3:43 to play.  A put back off an offensive rebound by Delaney Trushel gave UWF a 64-59 lead with 98 seconds remaining.  Whalen earned two tosses at the stripe following a timeout pulling VSU within 64-61 with 1:02 to play.
 
The Lady Blazers played sound defense and forced the shot clock violation with 24.1 seconds remaining trailing 64-61.  Senior Kiersten Nelson earned two shots at the line with 8.7 seconds left making one of two.  Whalen was able to get the rebound, but VSU was unable to get a shot off at the buzzer, falling 64-62.
 
VSU (6-3, 1-2 GSC) finished with three players in double figures led by 15 points and ten rebounds from Whalen.  She was 6 of 11 from the field and 3 of 4 from the line, while recording a team-high four steals.  Nelson also had a double-double with 13 points and ten rebounds, while junior Aryana Hicks added 15 points on 7 of 12 from the field and hit one of two triples for the Lady Blazers.  VSU shot 40 percent for the game on 24 of 60 from the field, while it was just 2 of 10 from distance and struggled from the line, going 12 of 24.  VSU held a 40-36 lead in rebounding. 
 
The Argos (6-3, 2-1 GSC) were led by 13 points from Rylie Stephens, while Bella Stone added 12 points and Bella Green narrowly missed a double-double with nine points and ten rebounds.  UWF shot 38.7 percent on 24 of 62 from the field, while the Argos were 10 of 25 from distance and 6 of 10 from the line.  The game saw seven ties and five lead changes.  
 
Buckets from Bella Stone and Saiije Taylor pushed the UWF lead to 14-9 in the first quarter, but Lady Blazer senior Victoria Ikenasio scored inside and then a theft followed by a bucket from Whalen pulled VSU within 14-13 with just over 90 seconds left in the opening frame.  A triple Stephens pushed the Argo lead back to four at 17-13 with less than a minute remaining in the quarter. 
 
An offensive rebound and put back from Green swelled the UWF lead to 19-13, but Hicks had something to say about that with a triple at the buzzer pulling VSU within 19-16.  It was the first triple made by VSU in five attempts as VSU opened the game 7 of 19 from the field and 1 of 2 from the line.  UWF opened 8 of 17 from the field and 3 of 6 from distance, while the Argos didn't attempt a free throw.
 
Two buckets from Hicks tied the game at 20-and then a turnover by the Argos led to two free throws from Nelson who made one, giving VSU its first lead since the first bucket of the game with 8:16 left in the half.  Nelson scored inside from a nice pass from Whalen for a 23-20 VSU lead and 6:53 remaining in the quarter.   
 
A triple from Pitsch broke a 24-24 score with 4:11 remaining in the half, but junior Mary McMorris answered with one of her own at the other end.  Stone answered with a trifecta for the Argos and a 30-27 score with 3:35 to play in the half.  A nice side-step and bucket from Hicks pulled VSU within 30-29.  UWF's Remi Langmaid drained a triple with 34 seconds left for a 33-29 score and the first field goal by either team since Hicks scored on a layup with three minutes to play.  VSU was fouled with three seconds remaining but missed both free throws and the put back for a 33-29 deficit at the break.
 
VSU was 12 of 31 from the field for 38.7 percent, while it was 2 of 7 from distance, but was just 3 of 10 from the line.  UWF shot 12 of 34 from the field for 35.3 percent, while the Argos were 6 of 15 from deep and 3 of 6 from the line.  VSU held a 23-20 lead in rebounding for the half.  Hicks had nine points to lead the Blazers.
 
Pitsch hit a triple for a 38-33 lead with 5:33 to go in the third quarter as fouls started to mount for the Argos.  Senior India Jordan pulled VSU within 38-36 with two free throws and 5:03 remaining in the quarter, but Izarria Alexander buried a triple at the other end for a 41-36 score.  Two buckets from Green and Taylor and then a triple from Stone pushed the lead for UWF to 48-38 with 2:34 to play in the third quarter. 
 
Out of a timeout, McMorris ended the run with a bucket and then a turnover on the Argos, followed by a bucket from McMorris pulled VSU within 48-42.  VSU pulled back within seven as Whale scored on an outlet pass at the buzzer for a 52-45 deficit through three quarters.
  
The Blazers continue at home on Thursday at 6 p.m. at The Complex versus Trevecca Nazarene and then on Saturday at 2 p.m., also in The Complex, versus Lee.