WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Facing major conference opposition for the first time this season, the Gardner-Webb University women's basketball fell on the road at Wake Forest on Sunday afternoon by a final score of 73-52

The Runnin' Bulldogs and Demon Deacons stayed locked in a tight contest early, with GWU even jumping out to an early lead behind some timely shooting. Gardner-Webb opened the game 5-of-11 from the floor and featured four different scorers through the first sequence but a 3-for-25 stretch between the second and third quarters allowed Wake Forest to build a double digit lead they wouldn't surrender at any point.

In that first quarter, graduate forward Elze Motekaityte played a crucial role for Gardner-Webb. The VCU-transfer scored two early buckets and found one steal on the defensive end for the Runnin' Bulldogs, part of what would turn into a team high 12 points and 11 rebounds for her first GWU double-double. Despite taking the lead with 4:50 to play in the first, Wake Forest closed with a 6-0 run for a 16-10 lead after one.

The Demon Deacons began to pull away in the second as the Runnin' Bulldogs shot just 2-of-13 in the frame, but GUW used a 9-of-10 mark at the free throw line to keep the game mostly within reach going to halftime. Those two made field goals for Gardner-Webb came within seconds of each other as the 'Dawgs briefly got back to within nine by the 6:31 mark after a short jumper by Motekaityte and the first made three by sophomore guard Elle Blatchford. Motekaityte finished a strong first half with four made free throws as GWU trailed 38-24.

Third quarter action went much of the same way, as Gardner-Webb shot only 33% for the frame. At the same time down on the other end, an 0-for-6 mark from distance by the Demon Deacons kept the Runnin' Bulldogs in the same after three. Bailey began to heat up again late in the third quarter, knocking down her second three of the night with 2:42 left. Freshman guard Kendall Scott got her first bucket with 1:08 left in the third as GWU entered the final 10 minutes down 54-35.

Despite going behind as many as 21 early in the fourth, Gardner-Webb briefly found life to cut the Wake Forest lead to as few as 11. The Runnin' Bulldogs managed a 12-0 run between 9:05 and 5:31 of the fourth quarter, led by six straight points from Blatchford and part of 11 in 38 minutes in her first GWU start. Unfortunately, the Runnin' Bulldogs would get no closer however. Wake Forest closed on a 15-6 run over the final four minutes to ice away the game.

Leaders for Gardner-Webb include Motekaityte with the mentioned 12 and 11 double-double, Blatchford with 11 points on two made threes, Bailey on 10 points and two made threes, and freshman center Maja Rohkohl who followed a pair of strong games last week with eight points, nine rebounds, three on the offensive end and 3-of-5 shooting.

The Runnin' Bulldogs are back in action Friday, December 6th at Western Carolina. Tip-off is scheduled for 11 o'clock in the morning in Cullowhee, N.C.