BOONE, N.C.- Out of conference play proved to be yet another challenge for Appalachian State University (4-15) women's basketball Wednesday evening at the Holmes Center, as the Apps were unable to hang with a hot-shooting Gardner-Webb (11-9) squad, falling 77-62.

 

Frances Hernandez led ASU in scoring for the fourth time this season and for the second straight game, as the sophomore guard scored a team-high 15 points, to go along with two assists, three steals and no turnovers, while five Gardner-Webb players finished the contest in double-figures, with Laura Povilonyte having a game-high 16 points.

 

Despite solid guard play, as Brittney Spencer was the Black and Gold's second-leading scorer with 12 points on the night and an early lead, the Runnin' Bulldogs were able to connect on more shots early on, as they went on a 7-0 run to jump out to a 21-11 advantage eight minutes into action.

 

Sam Ramirez ended Appalachian's three mintue scoring drought, as she nailed a jumper and Sade Means forced a steal and hit the fast break layup to cut GWU's advantage to seven. Ramirez posted four points in the contest, and Means finished with seven.

 

Appalachian would pull within three points with a little under four minutes to play in the first, as Catherine Williams nailed a jumper and Spencer scored a layup to make the score 30-27. Williams finished the evening with a career-high eight points, while Spencer chipped in four assists and four rebounds.

 

Three points would be the narrowest lead for GWU in the waning minutes of the first half as they would take the 41-33 advantage into the break.

 

Stout shooting the entire game by Gardner-Webb, but especially in the first half of action doomed ASU as the Runnin' Bulldogs went 56 percent from the field and 63 percent from behind the arc. The Mountaineers didn't score a three pointer the entire first half, for the first time since playing Wake Forest back on November 21.

 

An early 9-4 run by GWU pushed the score to 50-37 just five minutes into second half play.

 

Hernandez was able to find her shot in the second, nailing a jumper and draining Appalachian's first three pointer of the contest to make the score 57-46 with a little over eight minutes to play.

 

11 points would be the closest the Black and Gold could make the score in second half action, as Gardner-Webb was able to come away with the win.

 

ASU returns to action Saturday January 31, heading back into conference play, hosting SoCon opponent Furman at 1 p.m., in game one of a double-header.