Need to Know
Score: Piedmont 99, Toccoa Falls 55 
Records: Lady Lions 1-0, Screaming Eagles 1-4
Location: Toccoa Falls, Georgia - Lois Delany Gymnatorium

Toccoa Falls, GA - On a chilly night in Northeast Georgia, the Piedmont College women's basketball team kept warm by lighting up the scoreboard against Toccoa Falls College winning 99-55 away from home in the 2015-16 season opener.

Piedmont wasted little time in pulling away from the Screaming Eagles who kept it close in the first quarter before the Lady Lions used a dominant run in the closing minutes of the opening period to take control.  PC outscored the home team in each of the four quarters including a 31-11 margin in the fourth that sealed another season opening win, the fourth victory in the last five season openers for Piedmont. 

Veteran SYMONE BALL led the way in her return to the court with 17 total points while CARLIE SHIELDS topped the charts in assists with eight on the evening.  The Lady Lions created 27 points off takeaways with BRIANNA BARRETT and LE'SHAUNDA JONES combining to post eight steals on the night. 

Piedmont shot just over 44% as a team from the field including better than 51% in the second half.  The Lady Lions were dominant down low as well outscoring the Screaming Eagles 52-22 in the paint with sophomore DAKOTA SULLENS accounted for 15 of those.

Four Lady Lions were in double figures including BRIDGETTE KELLY who poured in 12 while LE'SHAUNDA JONES added ten more.  

Turning Point
--With the two teams tied at 9-9, a 15-2 run in the closing minutes of the 1st quarter by the Lady Lions provided enough separation for the visiting team to get out of Toccoa with the win.

Standout Performances
--CARLIE SHIELDS led the team with her eight assists, a new career high besting her three helpers against Birmingham-Southern last season.
--SYMONE BALL and DAKOTA SULLENS were the shooting leaders on the evening each hitting six of nine from the floor to combine for 32 points.
--Toccoa's Katie Calloway tallied a double-double with 16 points and 12 boards.

Inside the Box Score
--Piedmont freshman ABBEY CRAVEN had seven rebounds in just the first half of her collegiate debut before finishing with a team-high nine boards on the night. 
--The Lady Lions were cold from downtown early hitting on just four of 22 tries in the first half before connecting on six in the second half. 
--Piedmont allowed only three offensive rebounds for Toccoa on the night compared to the Lady Lions' 18 which led to 20 second-chance points.  

News & Notes
--The 99 points is the most by Piedmont in a single contest since last season's 107-76 win over Oglethorpe on November 29 in the SAA/USA South Challenge.
--13 different players scored for the Green and Gold while only six tabbed points for the Screaming Eagles with three Toccoa players accounting for 44 of their 55 points as a team.

Up Next
Piedmont stays on the road for a trip to face Emory University on Sunday, November 22 with tip-off set for 2:00 pm.  The Eagles are just two seasons removed from a NCAA Sweet 16 appearance back in 2013.  The game is the second of six straight on the road for PC to open the 2015-16 campaign.

How to Follow
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