MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Valdosta State Athletics) — Behind the tenth double-double of the season and a team-high 21 points from graduate student Kwajelin Farrar, the No. 10 Valdosta State women's basketball team won 67-52 at Auburn Montgomery Saturday afternoon for a four-game season sweep of the Warhawks.
The Lady Blazers improved to 16-2 on the year and 16-2 in Gulf South Conference play, while AUM fell to 0-9 overall and 0-9 in GSC play. Farrar went 9 of 14 from the field and 3 of 6 from the line for 21 points, while she pulled down 13 rebounds, including eight on the offensive end for the double-double earning the Guardian Bank Lady Blazer Player of the Game. Senior Kayla Bonilla added 17 points on 7 of 11 from the field and 3 of 3 from the line, while recording six assists and senior Delaney Bernard followed up her career game from Friday with 11 points and three treys on Saturday.
As a team, VSU shot 44.1 percent on 26 of 59 from the field, while it went 6 of 25 from beyond the arc and 9 of 15 from the line. VSU held a 33-26 lead in rebounding, including 15-5 on the offensive end, outscoring AUM 20-4 in second chance points. VSU had just nine turnovers for the game for the fewest in a game this season.
AUM's Catlin Carter had a game-high 24 points on 8 of 10 from the field, 2 of 2 from range and 6 of 6 from the line, while Derienne Black added ten points and a team-high seven rebounds off the bench. The Warhawks, who fought tough throughout, shot 40.5 percent from the field on 17 of 42, while they were 5 of 17 from range and remained within the contest, going 13 of 14 from the line.
The Warhawks shot 10 of 18 from the field in the first half for 55.6 percent from the field, but the Lady Blazer "D" stood strong in the second half, holding AUM to just 7 of 24 shooting (29.2%), including just 2 of 12 in the third quarter.
Unlike Friday's contest where AUM jumped out to the early lead, the reverse was true on Saturday as the Lady Blazers used a jumper from Bernard a triple and a jumper from freshman Alexandria Smith for an early 7-0 lead just over two minutes into the game.
Buckets from Farrar and Bonilla pushed the lead to 11-2 with 3:53 left in the quarter. AUM then found a spark and pulled within 13-11 with a 9-2 run with 13 seconds left in the quarter. Bonilla made two charity tosses for a 15-11 lead through the first frame.
AUM pulled within two early in the second quarter twice, but a trey from Smith pushed the lead to 20-15 with 7:36 left in the half. Farrar scored on a jumper for a 24-17 lead with 5:16 left and a layup from Bonilla pushed the lead to 26-17 with 3:17 remaining in the half.
Once again, the Warhawks found the spark late in the quarter, as they ended the half on a 10-5 run for a 31-27 deficit at intermission.
In the third, VSU used a 20-7 frame but really caught fire after AUM had pulled within 38-31 on a pair of tosses Carter with 5:55 left in the quarter. From there, VSU ended the frame on a 13-3 run for a 51-34 score.
The Warhawks scored the first six points of the fourth quarter cutting the VSU lead to 51-40, but Bonilla found pay dirt with a bucket for her 12th point of the game on a "hoop and harm" with 7:29 left in the contest.
A steal and triple from Carter pulled AUM within 56-45 with 5:18 left for her 17th point of the game to that point, as the Warhawks opened the fourth scoring 11 of the first 16 points.
The Lady Blazers didn't panic, however, as Bernard came up with a triple, ending a field goal drought of three minutes and change for a 59-45 lead with 3:57 left and Farrar scored inside for her 19th point and a 61-45 lead with 3:30 to play. Out of a timeout by the Warhawks, Bonilla scored inside for a 63-45 lead with 2:41 left and an 8-0 run since the 5:18 mark.
VSU returns home for its bye week and will close the regular season hosting rival West Florida for two games on Feb. 26-27 at The Complex.
