VALDOSTA, Ga. – Valdosta State women's basketball senior Kiersten Nelson scored a VSU career-high 25 points on a season-best 10 of 11 from the field and 5 of 6 from the line, but the Lady Blazers came up short in a 72-63 loss to No. 12 Union Thursday evening at The Complex.
 
The Lady Blazers fell to 9-5 overall and 4-4 in Gulf South Conference play, while Union improved to 13-2 overall and a perfect 8-0 in league play.  Junior Aryana Hicks scored 13 points with six assists and two steals, while senior India Jordan added 11 points off the bench for VSU.  The Lady Blazers shot 47.3 percent on 26 of 55 from the field, while they were 4 of 16 from distance and 7 of 9 from the line.  VSU shot 40 percent or better in each quarter for the game.
 
Union also shot 26 of 55 from the field in a very even contest, while the Lady Bulldogs were 8 of 24 from distance and 12 of 17 from the line.  Union held a 32-24 lead in rebounding and a 12-4 advantage in second chance points while both teams had 20 turnovers in a game that saw five lead changes and two ties.  Union's Emily Jones had a team-high 16 points off the bench leading three players in double figures.
 
The upset-minded Lady Blazers scored the first four points of the game and a triple from sophomore Erin Whalen broke a 4-4 tie midway through the first quarter.  Union used a mini 9-2 run for a 13-9 lead with 3:49 left in the frame.  VSU trimmed the deficit to 17-16 through ten minutes.
 
Two free throws from Nelson gave VSU its first lead since early in the first quarter with 9:13 left in the half for an 18-17 lead.  The Lady Blazer offense caught a spark with a 7-0 run for a 25-19 lead with 6:19 to play in the second quarter.  The Lady Bulldogs responded with a 9-0 run for a 28-25 lead with 2:03 to play in the half.  Hicks scored the final bucket of the half with some nifty cuts to the bucket with 1:48 and a 28-27 deficit through the first 20 minutes.
 
Union's Olivia Lee pushed the lead to nine at 3:39 left in the third quarter at 45-36 off a steal from Jazalyn Anousinh.   VSU would use a spurt to end the frame, outscoring Union 6-0 over the final 1:51 to pull within 47-44 with ten minutes to go.
 
Hicks pulled VSU within 47-46 with 8:53 to play, but Alexis Callins hit a big triple ten seconds later pushing the lead to four at 50-46 in favor of Union.  VSU cut the deficit to three twice, but the long ball proved costly as Bethany Dillard pushed the lead to six at 55-49 with 5:54 to play, starting a 7-0 run for a 59-49 lead with 4:41 to go. 

Lady Blazer senior Cortney Stothard drained a deep shot from distance trimming the deficit to 59-52 and then Nelson scored inside getting VSU within 59-54 with 3:36 to go.  Once again, Union had the answer with a 7-0 run pushing the lead to 66-54 with 1:47 to play.  The Lady Bulldogs held a 72-59 lead with 36 seconds left as Nelson and Hicks both scored buckets for the 72-63 final margin. 
 
VSU will host Christian Brothers on Saturday at 2 p.m. at The Complex.