ANDERSON, S.C. - Powered by a career-high 30 points from senior Lesley Woods, Anderson University women's basketball continues its winning ways with a 79-67 nonconference victory over Georgia College Saturday afternoon at the Abney Athletic Center.

With the victory, the Trojans have three straight contests and six of their first seven games to open the season as they improve to 6-1 on the young season. The win gives AU a perfect 2-0 record against teams from the Peach Belt Conference and matches last season's start to the season. GC, which entered Saturday on a four-game winning streak, drops to 4-3 for the campaign.

Woods closed the game shooting 8-for-16 from the field, including a career-high eight made 3-pointers, becoming the first Trojan to make eight 3-pointers in a game since sharpshooter Emily Willoughby drained eight treys against Lincoln Memorial on Feb. 9, 2011. Woods also becomes the first AU player to score 30 in a game in over six seasons. The senior also finished a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line.

Sophomore guard Heather Jankowy followed Woods with 10 points, while senior Sierra Simpson added nine points. The junior tandem of Jennifer Monroe and Jasmine Franklin each added eight points. As a team, Anderson shot 40.4 percent (21-for-52) from the field and 44.8 percent (13-for-29) from 3-point range. The Black and Gold also posted their second-highest free throw percentage of the year, closing the day 24-for-29 (82.8 percent).

Georgia College was first to take a convincing lead in the early part of the first half, as it jumped out to a quick 12-4 lead on a lay-in by Belinda Schaafsma with 13:24 on the clock. Following the basket, AU countered with an 8-0 run, beginning with Simpson's only 3-pointer of the game and capping off with a trey from Jankowy, evening the score at 12-12.

After a lay-in from GC's Alexia Manning gave the visitors the lead back, the Bobcats maintain their advantage until Woods drained a 3-pointer with 3:45 remaining in the period, giving Anderson a 28-26 advantage with just under four minutes left in the period. The home side would hold on to a narrow lead until the final moments of the first half when Georgia College's Shanteona Keys scored on a lay-in, pushing the score to 32-32. The Trojans were unable to take a halftime lead when Woods misfired on a 3-pointer, sending the game to halftime.

"In the first half, I thought we didn't play our best," Anderson head coach Jimmy Garrity said. "Even though we were at home, it was a somewhat quiet atmosphere without the student being here. We talked about creating our own energy and enthusiasm at the half and I was really proud of how the ladies came out in the second half and competed."

The teams swapped the lead seven times in the opening four minutes of the second half, as Anderson clung to a two-point lead at the first media timeout. Following the break, the Trojans went on a 10-3 run headlined by a perfect 6-for-6 performance at the free throw line during the spurt. With the run, AU held a 55-46 lead with 11 minutes remaining.

The visitors began to chip away at the Trojan lead, as they would come within two when Lindsey Reed made her second 3-pointer of the period. The 58-56 score would be the closest the Bobcats would get for the remainder of the half, as Anderson scored the next 12 points putting the game out of reach. In the span, Woods made two 3-pointers, while junior Madison Floyd opened the run with second of two 3-pointers for the game.

Anderson's lead would be as high at 19, before Georgia College scored the final seven points of the game, making the final score, 79-67.

"We created some turnovers with our press that I felt really got us going," Garrity added. "This was a great team win. Individually, Lesley Woods was fantastic offensively. This was a really good win for our team. Georgia College is a very strong team that will have a great year in the Peach Belt. We will enjoy this win and start preparing for our rivalry game on Tuesday."

The Bobcats closed the game shooting 24-for-58 (41.4 percent), marking the highest shooting percentage for an AU opponent this season. Keys paced the attack with 19 points, while teammate Enisha Donley dropped in 18 points with nine rebounds. Schaafsma totaled 11 points, while Reed, who came in as a substitute added eight points.

Anderson returns to action on Tuesday when it welcomes archrival Erskine to the Abney Center, as the teams look to earn a Beville Cup point. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m.