Valdosta State guard Taylor Searcey (13) puts up a shot against Shorter Nov. 19, 2022 at The Complex.

MONTEVALLO, Ala. – Valdosta State sophomore Taylor Searcey scored a career-high 24 points and 10 rebounds as the Lady Blazers battled back for a 79-67 victory at Montevallo Monday afternoon.

The Lady Blazers improved to 10-2 overall and 9-1 in Gulf South Conference play with their tenth-straight victory, while Montevallo fell to 4-11 overall and 4-7 in league play.

Searcey recorded her second double-double of the season with ten rebounds, while she went a career-best 10 of 10 from the free throw line and 6 of 12 from the field with two triples, four assists and four steals. Junior Tamiya Francis chipped in 14 points in the game on 5 of 8 from the field, 2 of 5 from deep and 2 of 2 from the line, while junior Aleisha Curry added ten points off the bench on 5 of 5 from the field and five rebounds. UM’s Savannah Cook led three Falcons in double figures with 15 points on 5 of 11 from the field and 4 of 10 from distance.

The Lady Blazers went a perfect 17 of 17 from the free throw line, including 11 of 11 from the stripe in the second half. VSU shot 52.9 percent for the game on 27 of 51 from the floor and 8 of 17 from distance. The Falcons shot 44 percent from the field on 22 of 50 from the floor, 12 of 32 from deep and 11 of 16 from the line. VSU’s .529 average from the field was the second-highest for the season and fifth time of shooting over 50 percent for the year.

VSU trailed by as many as many as ten in the first quarter and never held the lead until a jumper from junior Kate Tanner with 8:37 left in the third quarter for a 39-38 lead. A layup from Searcey with 7:12 left in the frame, followed by triples from junior Emma Martin and Francis swelled the lead to nine at 50-41 with 5:12 to go in the quarter. Montevallo then trimmed the deficit back to three at 52-49 with 3:15 remaining, but two free throws from senior Jirah Ards put the Lady Blazers back up five. Cook’s triple with three seconds left in the quarter pulled the Falcons within 57-55 through three frames.

In the fourth, UM’s Leisha Steger tied the game for the final time at 57 in the first minute, but Searcey and the Lady Blazers wouldn’t be denied as she started a 10-0 run with back-to-back triples and a 67-57 lead with 5:43 to play. UM’s Marisa Snodgrass drained one from distance for a 67-60 score, but buckets from Curry and junior Lili Long pushed the lead back to 11 with 2:58 to go. VSU built the lead to as many as 15, before settling for the 12-point victory. VSU outscored UM 44-29 in the second half and 68-49 over the final three stanzas as UM opened the game with an 18-11 advantage through the first period.

The Falcons scored the first six points of the game and built a 16-6 lead on a triple from Cook with 2:22 left in the quarter. A triple from sophomore India Jordan and a bucket from Searcey pulled VSU within 18-11. Francis then pulled VSU within 20-16 early in the second quarter as VSU cut the deficit to one with two free throws from Searcey and Curry later tied the game at 24 with 5:29 left in the half. UM’s Anna Katherine Eastman answered with a triple at the other end sparking a 6-0 run as UM pushed the lead back to as many as eight. The Lady Blazers continued to fight and closed the half with a 5-0 run capped on a triple from Martin for a 38-35 deficit at half.

The Lady Blazers return home to open the 2023 home slate on Thursday at 6 p.m. at The Complex versus Alabama Huntsville and on Saturday at 2 p.m. against West Alabama.