VALDOSTA, Ga. – The University of Montevallo women's basketball team defeated No. 5 Valdosta State on Saturday afternoon 78-70, to give the Blazers just their second loss of the season. After falling to VSU last night, UM came out today and used gritty defense to get the job done on the road. The Falcons are now 8-4 on the year with an 8-3 mark in Gulf South Conference play.
 
Montevallo shot out to a 4-0 lead with 8:02 left in the first quarter thanks to a pair of Kourtnie Smith layups. The Falcons' offense struggled in the first, but Smith was able to score eight of her 15 points in the first quarter to keep UM in the game early.
 
Trailing by seven after the first, Montevallo locked in in the second quarter and held VSU's high-powered attack to just 12 points while scoring 20 points of their own to take a narrow one-point lead into half. UM scored 14 of their 20 second quarter points in the paint, using timely cuts and passes to earn the lead.
 
In the third, VSU used an 8-0 run to lead 43-35 with 6:03 left in the quarter, but the Falcons narrowed the lead back down to four heading into the fourth. The Blazers shot 60 percent from the floor in the third, but were not able to put the game away.
 
Montevallo's offense caught fire in the fourth quarter, scoring 29 points. Jordan Jones led the Falcons in the fourth, scoring nine of her 15 points in the final quarter to secure the win. Marisa Snodgrass also showed up in a big way in the fourth, scoring seven of her 13 in the quarter. The game was tied 66-66 with 2:39 left to play, before UM rattled off a 9-0 run to put the game away. Snodgrass and Jones combined to score all nine of the Falcons' points during the run.
 
To go along with Smith, Jones and Snodgrass, Kiya Sain also reached double figures, scoring 11 points for UM.
 
Montevallo once again dominated the turnover battle, only committing 13 while forcing the Blazers into 21 giveaways. UM scored 22 points off turnovers and also won the battle in the paint, outscoring the Blazers by eight down low. The Falcons' defense was the key to victory tonight, holding VSU to just 41 percent from the floor and 18.2 percent from beyond the arc.
 
UP NEXT: The Falcons will return to Trustmark Arena to host the University of West Florida at 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 12 in GSC action.