CLEVELAND, Miss. - The No. 6 seed Valdosta State Lady Blazers (16-13, 13-9 Gulf South Conference) saw their 2025-26 season come to a close Monday evening with a 61-44 loss to No. 3 seed Delta State (18-10, 15-7 GSC) in the Gulf South Conference Championship Quarterfinals at Walter Sillers Coliseum.
In a defensive battle throughout, neither side found offensive rhythm in the first half. Valdosta State held Delta State within reach through the opening half, trailing just 23-20 at the break after limiting the Lady Statesmen to 25 percent shooting in the second quarter.
The game shifted in the third period, as Delta State used a 20-13 quarter to create separation. The Lady Statesmen shot 50 percent from the floor in the frame while capitalizing at the free throw line to extend their lead to double digits entering the final period.
Junior Erin Whalen paced the Lady Blazers offensively with 16 points and six rebounds, finishing her outstanding junior season as the team's leading scorer and rebounder. Junior Jada Williams added 12 points, converting all six of her free-throw attempts, while junior Alina Sapilak chipped in six points and four rebounds..
Kennedee Shelton led Delta State with 15 points, while Dakiya Toney and Jariyah Williamson each added 12 points to guide the Lady Statesmen into the GSC Semifinals where they will play at Union. The Lady Blazers matched Delta State with 35 rebounds on the night but committed 19 turnovers in the loss.
Looking Forward
Monday's contest marks the conclusion of the Lady Blazers' season following a strong push that secured a Gulf South Conference Championship Quarterfinals berth. The Lady Blazers will say goodbye to a key leader in senior Aryana Hicks, but head coach Chandler Merkerson will retain a strong young core that showed major development over the course of the season.
Click here to see the full GSC Championship schedule and stay up to date with tournament seeding and matchups.
Find live stats, written coverage, streaming links, and more on vstateblazers.com and follow @VState_Blazers as well as @VSULadyBlazers to stay up to date with the team as they shift their focus to the offseason, 2026-27, and beyond.
