WEST POINT, Ga.— The Montreat women's basketball team continued its hot start to the 2022-23 season by defeating the Point University Skyhawks on the road in Georgia Saturday afternoon thanks to a strong second-half performance and career-high point totals from multiple players. With the 66-50 triumph, the Cavaliers improved to 4-0 overall and 3-0 in Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) action.
 
The teams fought back and forth early in the first quarter, eventually resulting in an 8-8 scoreline midway through the frame. After Point extended its lead to 12-8 with consecutive buckets, Montreat stormed back to take a 13-12 advantage thanks to a 3-pointer by Virginia Edmondson. In a physical period, the Skyhawks utilized six makes at the free throw line to hold an 18-13 edge through 10 minutes.
 
Though the home team built a 20-13 lead, the Cavaliers immediately closed the contest to a one-possession ballgame twice thanks to baskets from three different players. Following another stretch by Point, Edmondson, who led all scorers with 13 first-half points, then brought the Cavs within two (28-26) with four straight points; however, a short 4-1 spurt from PU allowed the Skyhawks to go up 32-27 at the break.
 
Adrianna Gullette and Mariya Williams each added five points in addition to Edmondson's double-digit half. Williams captained the squad on the boards through the opening two quarters of action with four rebounds.
 
Montreat utilized an impressive second half to hand the Skyhawks (2-2, 2-1 AAC) their first conference loss of the season. In the third quarter, the Cavaliers outscored their opposition 20-7, holding PU scoreless for the final 4:32 of the period.
 
Aebri Graham knocked down a triple to trim the Cavs' deficit to two (37-35) before Triniti Lockhart tied the game at 37 with her steal and layup at the halfway point of the frame. After a quick basket from the home side, Montreat answered with the final 10 points of the quarter, including five straight from Gullette, to take a 47-39 lead with 10 minutes to go.
 
The Cavaliers added to their impressive span by registering the opening seven points of the last period to build the advantage to 15 (54-39). Point finally ended its scoring drought of 7:52 with 6:40 left, but Montreat led by as many as 19 down the stretch as the final three of Edmondson's game-high 23 points expanded the visitors' edge to 64-45 with just 1:56 on the clock. Despite five late points from PU, the Cavs closed out their 16-point road victory by outscoring the Skyhawks 19-11 in the fourth.
 
"We really battled today," said head coach Josh Thompson, who has Montreat out to its first 4-0 start since 2010-11. "It was a very tough game, and I was proud of how we fought back in the second half. I thought we defended much better in the second half," he finished.
 
Edmondson made nine of her 17 shot attempts, including a pair of 3-point tries, to end with her career-best point total, while Gullette knocked down five shots and made six free throws to conclude with a career-best 17 points. Williams led the team with 11 rebounds to go with her nine points, and Lockhart added six boards. In an otherwise fairly-even matchup, Montreat converted at a higher percentage both from the field overall (47.9-35.2 percent) and from behind the arc (31.3-15.4 percent). The Cavaliers also forced 19 Point turnovers and grabbed nine steals, converting those turnovers into 17 points.
 
Women's basketball travels to Georgia again for its next matchup, a battle at Brenau University. Tipoff in Gainesville, Ga. is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.