Valdosta State guard Taylor Searcey (13) calls a play during the second quarter against Eckerd Friday at The Complex. Searcey posted her second career double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds in the Blazers’ 88-58 loss to the Tritons.

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Behind a career-high 20 points by sophomore Taylor Searcey, the Valdosta State women’s basketball team posted a 60-56 victory at West Florida Sunday evening to run its winning streak to eight straight games.

Searcey, who earned Guardian Bank Lady Blazer Player of the Game honors, went a season-best 8 of 13 from the field, 4 of 5 from the line, three assists and a team-high five steals leading two players in double figures.

The Lady Blazers improved to 8-2 on the year and 7-1 in Gulf South Conference play as they break for the Christmas Holiday, before returning to action on Dec. 31 at Auburn Montgomery and Jan. 2 at Montevallo. VSU then returns home to open the 2023 portion of the schedule on Jan. 5 at 6 p.m., versus Alabama Huntsville at The Complex.

UWF fell to 5-5 on the year and 5-3 in GSC play as the Argonaut’s three-game winning streak came to an end.

Along with Searcey, junior Jirah Ards scored a season-high 15 points with 11 rebounds for her third double-double of her VSU career and first of the season. Ards went 4 of 9 from the field, 1 of 2 from deep and 6 of 8 from the line, knocking down some crucial free throws late in the game. She had two assists and three steals.

As a team, VSU shot 38.5 percent for the game on 20 of 52, while it was 4 of 16 from deep and 16 of 21 from the line. VSU forced UWF into 21 turnovers and held 16-9 lead in points off turnovers as VSU committed 14 miscues for the game.

The Argos were led by 16 points and 16 rebounds from Jaclyn Jarnot as she finished 6 of 10 from the field, 3 of 4 from deep and 1 of 2 from the line, while recording three assists and two steals leading three players in double figures. Jaden Langford finished with 14 points, while Zoe Piller added ten points. The Argos shot 38.8 percent for the game on 19 of 49, while it was 4 of 13 from deep and 14 of 18 from the line. UWF held a 38-30 lead in rebounding.

VSU improved to 26-20 since 2000 against West Florida and now has won three-straight in the series and two-straight in Pensacola, after dropping the last seven there. Lady Blazer head coach Deandra Schirmer won her 70th game of her career (70-23) at VSU, and 50th in GSC play (50-15).

After the teams traded buckets on the first two possessions, VSU went on a 12-0 run for a 14-2 lead capped with a jumper from sophomore Kate Tanner with 6:14 left in the first quarter. The Argos scored just their second field goal of the game with a jumper from Langford with 3:35 for an “and one”. Two free throws from Jennifer Andrew pulled UWF within 14-7, before a “hoop and harm” for junior Tamiya Francis for a 17-7 Lady Blazer lead with 2:04 left in the opening quarter. UWF’s Moriah Taylor buried one from deep for a 17-11 margin at the end of one frame.

UWF would cut the deficit back to four twice in the second quarter, but the Lady Blazers would have the answer each time, especially late in the half as Langford cut the deficit to 28-25 with 1:43 to play, but Lady Blazer junior Lili Long buried three free throws with 35 seconds and then a triple from Jarnot cut the deficit back to four with 23 ticks remaining. VSU would have the last shot, however, as Ards connected on a jumper with two seconds left for a 33-27 lead at the break.

Jarnot pulled UWF within 40-38 with 1:54 left in the third quarter on a steal by Taylor and Jarnot tied the game at 40 with 1:23 to play in the frame for the first tie since 2-2. Ards came up with a big offensive rebound and put back with 1:01 left in the quarter, followed by two buckets in the final minute from Searcey for a 46-40 lead heading to the final stanza.

UWF began the fourth on a 6-0 run to erase the deficit for a 46-46 score with 5:03 to play. Ards scored inside, but UWF answered right back and a “hoop and harm” for Langford gave UWF its first and only lead of the game at 49-48 with 4:09 to play. VSU wouldn’t trail for long, however, as junior Aleisha Curry put VSU up on the ensuing possession with a layup. UWF would cut the deficit to one, twice more, including with 46 seconds remaining, but Searcey scored on the ensuing possession for an “and one” and a 56-52 lead. UWF then trimmed the deficit to three on a jumper from Piller, but Ards connected on two huge tosses for a 59-54 lead with 22 seconds to play. She then made one of two for a 60-54 score and Piller scored the final two points with four seconds left and a 60-56 final score.