YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. | Briana Bell led Young Harris College with 15 points and Jenny Vernet grabbed 12 rebounds as the Mountain Lions picked up a 45-39 Peach Belt Conference women's basketball victory over Flagler College Saturday (Dec. 19) afternoon at the YHC Basketball Arena.
 
The Mountain Lions ended 2015 on a four-game winning streak as they improved to 7-2 overall and to 2-0 in the Peach Belt while the Saints fell to 4-4 and 0-2. Young Harris breaks for the holiday season and will return to action Jan. 2 when they host Clayton State University in a 1:30 p.m. PBC contest.
 
Both teams struggled in the first quarter as Flagler built up a 9-8 lead. Young Harris broke open the game as they recorded nine unanswered points to take a 17-11 lead on a Vernet old-fashioned three-point play with 7:03 remaining in the second quarter. The Mountain Lions took a 28-21 lead at the half as Bell, who was 5-of-9 from the floor, connected on a jumper with 21 seconds left.
 
Flagler rallied to tie the game a 31 on a DeAsha Campbell free throw with 3:09 left in the third quarter, but Young Harris never surrendered the lead as the Mountain Lions closed out the quarter with a layup and a jumper by Bell to take a 35-31 lead.  YHC opened the final quarter like they closed the third as Vernet added a putback and Sarah Garner added one of her own as the Mountain Lions took a 39-31 lead with 7:56 to play.
 
The Saints got as close as three points (42-39) on a Campbell layup with 67 seconds remaining, but the Mountain Lions hit three of four free throws down the stretch to earn the win.
 
Young Harris scored 19 points off 20 Flagler turnovers and added 13 second-chance points. Vernet added nine points and three blocked shots while Meredith Tarver contributed six points and eight rebounds.
 
Teosha Ray led the Saints with 12 points and eight rebounds while Campbell tallied 11 points.