WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Winston-Salem State used an extended first-half run to overcome an early deficit and the West Liberty University women's basketball team couldn't recover as the Lady Hilltoppers dropped a 72-61 decision on Saturday at the Rams' Clarence E. Gaines Center.

Kayla Ayers drained her first three 3-point shots to stake West Liberty (6-3) to an early 9-2 lead but Winston-Salem State (3-4) turned the tide with 11 unanswered points and maintained the upper hand the rest of the way.

Jasmine Newkirk's 3-pointer put the hosts ahead to stay, 11-9, at the 12:11 mark of the first half and the Rams built the lead as high as 13 points before settling for a 35-25 bulge at intermission.

The Hilltoppers trailed by as many as 18 points midway through the second half before a Hillary Southworth 3-pointer capped a WLU surge that cut the margin in half, 61-52, with 6:07 remaining but the Rams put the game on ice by holding West Liberty scoreless over the next 4 minutes.

Southworth poured in 22 of her career-high 25 points in the second half while Ayers – who scored the Hilltoppers' first 14 points of the night – finished with 18 points. Erica Hershberger played well in a losing cause with 8 points and a game-high 6 assists.

Newkirk led WSSU with 18 points while Courtney Medley added 13 points. Jordhan Peterson finished with 11 points and 7 rebounds as the 6-3 center helped Winston-Salem muscle out a 42-27 edge on the boards.

Both teams hit 24 shots from the floor and West Liberty made 10-of-29 3-pointers to just 4-of-13 for the Rams but the hosts knocked down 20-of-28 free throws while the Hilltoppers were just 3-for-9 from the charity stripe.

After playing their eighth game in 15 nights, the WLU women won't return to action again until Jan. 4 when they host arch rival Wheeling Jesuit in a 5:30 p.m. game at the ASRC.