VALDOSTA, Ga. – Valdosta State came as close as any team to No. 3 Delta State since the team’s exhibition against Tennessee. Only LeMoyne-Owen and Valdosta State have come as close as 13 points to the Lady Statesmen, and it was a nine-point game with just over a minute left.

After mounting a comeback in the second half, the Lady Blazers still fell to 4-6 on the season with the 54-41 loss to the Lady Statesmen. Delta State moves to 9-0 on the season with the win.

Sczeny Hartry and Sierra Nixon each had nine points off the bench to lead the Lady Blazers in scoring. Nixon added four blocks for her second consecutive game. Tamika Booker put in eight points and led the team in rebounding with seven. Three Lady Blazers passed out two assists each while three had two steals each.

Amanda Haven provided instant offense to spark the Lady Blazers for the second game in a row. At the 5:18 mark in the first half, Haven posted up for points in the paint to make it a one-point game. All six of her points came in the lane to help the Lady Blazers go blow for blow in the paint with Delta State. The teams finished with 22 and 24 points in the paint respectively.

In the second half, she faced up to the basket and used a nifty move down the lane for a lay-up. She scored again for Valdosta State’s next points.

With 9:41 left in the game, Sarita Cooper made a free throw to gain a 20-point lead for the Lady Statesmen, but Valdosta State started to click and jumped back into the game.

After a free throw from Hartry, Nixon stole the ball and went the length of the floor to spark the run. On the ensuing possession, Valdosta State made a stop and Michelle Thompson scored another fast break lay-up for VSU off an assist from Hartry.

With 3:51 left in the game Nixon drilled a three-pointer in the corner from Booker to cut the DSU lead to 12. After that, Hartry stole the ball and fed it to the post. Brittany Daniels made the pass to Booker, who finished with a lay-up to bring the lead to just 10 points.

Delta State made a lay-up, but free throws from Daniels and Hartry cut the lead to nine points with just 1:19 left to play. Valdosta State had to make it a game of free throws from that point, and Delta State finished 13 of 14 from the charity stripe. It was too much to overcome for the Lady Blazers.

For Delta State, it was Sarita Cooper leading the way. She scored 16 points and passed for eight assists. Veronica Walker went for 16 points, nine rebounds and five blocks.

The Lady Blazers travel to Washington, D.C. next to face Shaw and the District of Columbia on December 19 and 20. Valdosta State returns home against Nova Southeastern at 2 p.m. December 30.