MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. - Junior Tilde Ahlin and freshman Lauren Woods combined for 24 points, with 20 coming in the second half, but the Anderson women's basketball team opened its 2011-12 season with a 56-52 setback to Georgia College Friday night at the Centennial Center.

In a contest that featured 10 ties and 17 lead changes, neither team was able to build more than a five-point lead throughout the game.

Anderson (0-1) gained an early 8-3 lead in the first seven minutes of the contest as freshman guard Sierra Simpson scored six points, but Georgia College (1-0), the defending Peach Belt Conference Tournament champions, evened the score at 8-8 midway through the half.

The Lady Bobcats edged out to a five-point lead, at 15-10, but AU stayed close, pulling within a single point on three occasions as the half came to a close with GC holding a narrow 19-18 lead.

Ahlin scored Anderson's first nine points of the second half as the lead changed hands eight times in the first five minutes of the frame. She drained a pair of jumpers from deep in the left corner, including a trey, then dropped in a pair of short jumpers to keep the score close.

With the Lady Bobcats clinging to a 33-30 advantage, it was Woods' turn, as the Raleigh, N.C., native connected on three consecutive long-range 3-pointers from three different angles to help give AU a 39-36 edge with 11:46 remaining.

The scoreboard showed four tie scores over the next six minutes, with each team answering the other's baskets.

Woods hit one-of-two from the line to pull AU within a deuce at the 1:09 mark, but GC's Shanteona Keys connected on an off-balance jumper with 39.8 seconds remaining and converted the old-fashioned three-point play to give the Bobcats a 54-49 lead.

AU guard Amanda Parris countered with her third 3-pointer of the night with just less than 14 ticks left to pull the Trojans back within 54-52, but Bobcats' senior guard Myeshia Simms hit two free throws with 7.7 seconds remaining to seal the win.
Ahlin and Woods each scored 12 points, while Parris added 11 points, six assists and a pair of steals. Junior forward Breonda Shannon collected a team-high nine rebounds.

Anderson will look to get in the win column on Tuesday at Conference Carolinas opponent Pfeiffer, with tip-off slated for 6 p.m. versus the Falcons.