CULLOWHEE, N.C. - The Gardner-Webb University women's basketball team, down to just seven available players on Friday morning at Western Carolina, out muscled the Catamounts on the road for a 73-65 victory and its first away win of the season.

GWU got off to a blinding start on the road on Friday morning, feeding off the energy in a noisy Ramsey Center due to an education day game and jumping in front 22-13 after ten minutes. In what would turn into another career game for the graduate transfer from VCU, forward Elze Motekaityte was fantastic early on for the Runnin' Bulldogs, scoring seven of the 'Dawgs first nine points including a made three. Gardner-Webb trailed only briefly in the first quarter, eventually going ahead as many as nine with a crafty finish by sophomore guard Elle Blatchford in the final 30 seconds.

The 'Dawgs kept the pedal down in the second, taking a double digit advantage into halftime. Motekaityte continued a stellar first half to put GWU ahead by 10 for the first time with 6:59 to play, taking the ball all the way just after a made basket by WCU for two more on the other end to give Gardner-Webb a 29-19 lead. Senior guard Ashley Hawkins made her presence known to the Western Carolina defense late in the first half, winding down the clock and nailing a jumper just before the buzzer to push the 'Dawgs ahead 39-26. The Long Beach native finished the first 20 minutes with a game-high 12 points.

Gardner-Webb continued to build upon its lead ever-so-slightly in the third, and would enter the final frame up 15. Hawkins continued to find space in the WCU defense, scoring the first four points of the third inside a minute of the opening inbound as GWU pushed ahead 41-26. Western did briefly get back inside single digits but the 'Dawgs finished stronger with an 8-2 run. One of the biggest plays perhaps of the season for Gardner-Webb occurred with 2:05 left, as Blatchford canned a three from the wing after Motekaityte and freshman guard Kendall Scott scrapped for two offensive rebounds to keep a play alive. After a timely three by sophomore guard Lauren Bailey, GWU took a 55-40 lead into the fourth.

With momentum seemingly at its back, Gardner-Webb took its largest lead of the entire game with 6:03 to go. When Hawkins found the tin on an acrobatic layup, GWU seemed to be well in control, up 63-45. However, over the next five minutes and change, the 'Dawgs would have to hold on as Western got back within as few as six with just under a minute to play. But as was the story on Friday afternoon, Hawkins and Motekaityte handled the scoring load to close out the game at the free throw line, as Gardner-Webb scored a 73-65 win.

Leaders for Gardner-Webb include Hawkins with a season-high 25, Motekaityte with her second career double-double by way of 16 points, 12 rebounds, Blatchford with 13 points and Bailey with 12 points. Bailey and Motekaityte would also play the entire 40 minute contest, while Blatchford contributed with 38 minutes.

"I'm so proud of how the girls competed throughout the 40 minutes. We have a couple of kids out with injuries and illness but the girls who came today and got on that van this morning, they all showed up and brought the energy and effort I was looking for" said head coach, Scott Merritt on his team's performance. "I'm so pleased"

Gardner-Webb will be off for the next week and a half, returning to action on December 17th at Hampton for one of the final non-conference tilts of the season.