BOONE, N.C. - The Gardner-Webb University women's basketball team fell on the road to Appalachian State on Wednesday night in Boone, with the home standing Mountaineers pulling away behind a 31-point third quarter

The Runnin' Bulldogs were quick out of the gate on Wednesday night in Boone, holding App State to just 2-of-15 in the first quarter and hitting three three-pointers in route to a 17-10 lead after one. Sophomore guard Elle Blatchford continued an individual hot streak stretching back multiple games, knocking down two threes in the first as GWU led by as many as nine. Senior guard Ashley Hawkins also scored four early points to help pace the 'Dawgs.

In the second, while App State did pull closer and eventually tie the game heading into halftime, Gardner-Webb continued to find opportunistic offense and led by as many as eight points. Freshman guard Kendall Scott contributed some of her best minutes of the season near the midway point of the second, burying back to back triples to push GWU in front 27-19. Sophomore guard Lauren Bailey got going late in the second, making a huge heads up play off a missed jumper, scraping for an offensive rebound and put-back for a 33-31 Gardner-Webb lead. App State got a look from three at the horn but hit iron, as we reached halftime tied at 35.

App State found its shooting touch in the third, scoring 31 points on an outrageous 13-of-16 clip to take a double digit lead into the fourth. The Runnin' Bulldogs had no answer on the defensive end as App State took a tie game to an 18-point cushion in less than 8:30 of game time. Hawkins found each of the last eight points of the third for Gardner-Webb, including a bank three just before the buzzer but App State entered the final 10 minutes up 66-52.

The fourth quarter would be largely academic, as the App State lead bounced between 18 and 20 for much of the final frame. Some highlights late include junior guard Nyla Walker who, in her first start of the season, got her first three to go with 1:10 left in the contest. The Mountaineers closed out the Runnin' Bulldogs from there, as GWU fell 82-64 on the road.

Leaders for Gardner-Webb include Hawkins with 21 points, four made threes and 7-of-8 at the line, Blatchford with 11 points on 3-of-4 from deep, Scott with a season/career high 10 points, graduate forward Elze Motekaiyte who just missed a double-double with 10 points, nine rebounds, as well as Bailey who finished with nine points, nine boards. As a team, the Runnin' Bulldogs shot 10-of-31 from three and 20-of-28 at the line.

Next up, the Runnin' Bulldogs visit Wake Forest on Sunday afternoon, December 2nd