BOONE, N.C.- Jessica Heilig scored a season-high 21 points and ended an early season slump at the foul line hitting 10-13 shots from the charity stripe but the Gardner-Webb University women's basketball team lost 77-69 at Appalachian State on Tuesday evening in the Holmes Center. 

The Runnin' Bulldogs shot a season-high 28-35 from the free-throw line including 14-16 in the opening half, as both teams played a very physical style of basketball combing for 58 fouls and 75 free-throws. 

Appalachian State outrebounded GWU 43-35 and hauled down 17 rebounds on the offensive end, and was led by Joi Jones who paced the Mountaineer offense scoring 20 points and dishing out a game-high six assists. 

The Runnin' Bulldogs played great defense on the Mountainners leading scorer, Maryah Sydnor, as she entered the game averaging 25.0 points, and was held to just 13 points on 4-13 shooting. 

Gardner-Webb jumped out to an early 16-8 lead midway through the first half as the Runnin' Bulldogs held the Mountaineers to just one field goal through the first nine minutes.

Heilig converted two free-throws with 4:07 remaining in the opening half to give the Runnin' Bulldogs a 29-20 lead, which was their largest lead of the opening half. 

Gardner-Webb would continue to hold the lead for the rest of the half, but the Mountaineers went on an 11-3 run to cut the defecit to just one, 32-31 at the halftime break. 

The Runnin' Bulldogs outscored App state 10-6 in the paint and both benches chipped in with 14 points. 

Sydnor scored the first basket of the second half to give the Mountaineers a 32-31 lead, which was their first lead of the game since the 18:31 mark of the opening half. 

Kiera Currie hit a three-pointer to extend the GWU lead to six points, 56-50 with 10:39 remaining in the game. 

App state would cut the lead to three with 10:20 left before Mayhana Dunovant connected on a shot from long distance to push the lead back to six, 61-55. 

The Mountaineers would respond with a 22-8 run over the next nine minutes to take control of the game and would go on for the 77-69 victory. 

Gardner-Webb returns to action on Saturday when it takes the short trip to Spartanburg, S.C, to face Wofford College at 2:00 p.m.