BLUEFIELD, Va. – After facing as much as a 12-point deficit in the second half, the Bluefield College women's basketball closed the gap to just two, but Union hung on to claim the 54-50 win in Appalachian Athletic Conference action, Wednesday evening at the Dome Gymnasium.
 
Bluefield (6-10, 4-5 AAC) was paced by reigning AAC Player of the Week Maryah Mazyck who tallied 18 points. Whitney Smith added 13 points. Destiny Tolliver and Mazyck grabbed nine boards apiece, but BC dropped the battle on the glass, 37-34.
 
Union (9-4, 6-2 AAC) was led by Haley Perkins' game-highs of 22 points and 10 rebounds. M Clontz joined her teammate in double-digits with 11 points and added nine boards as well.
 
Bluefield opened quickly, doubling up the visitors 14-7 through 6:25 of play. Mazyck led the way with six early points. Smith knocked down a pair of triples and Tolliver added a layin in the opening run.
 
But, Union chimed back with 17-straight points, grabbing a 10-point edge, 24-14, in the process. Union tossed in a trio of treys in the run, flipping momentum in 3:50 of game action.
 
Bluefield pulled within four following six-straight points, but Union took a 32-24 lead into the break.
 
Union pushed its lead to as many as 12, 42-30 with 12:51 to play in the second half, before Bluefield answered with a 7-0 rally with Smith's third triple of the night making the deficit five with 9:44 remaining.
 
However, just as BC would get within striking distance, the Bulldogs would answer. The gap would close to five or four points multiple times over the next several minutes, but buckets from the visitors continued to close the door.
 
BC had one last push as a 6-0 rally would make the score 52-50 with 2:02 remaining. Bluefield had a chance to tie it late, but an illegal screen call turned the ball over to Union and Perkins tacked on a pair of free throws for the 54-50 final.
 
Bluefield went 20-for-58 (34.5%) for the evening, while Union was 16-for-46 (34.8%). The Bulldogs knocked down eight of their 23 tries from long range (34.8%), while BC was a just 3-for-18 (16.7%).
 
Despite losing the battle on the glass overall, BC managed a 13-5 edge in second chance points.  Bluefield continued its pesky defense, taking 15 steals on the night and leading Union to its second highest turnover night of the season with 27.
 
Bluefield returns to action on Saturday, traveling to Milligan for a 2 p.m. AAC meeting.