MORROW, Ga. – The University of North Georgia (UNG) women's basketball team grabbed a 78-57 win in its first road game of the season and Peach Belt Conference opener at Clayton State in Morrow, Ga. Saturday night. 

The Nighthawks utilized a third quarter in which they outscored the Lakers 33-16 to pull away from the PBC foe. 

UNG is now 7-0 on the year, marking the best start to a season since 2005. That team 19 years ago also started 7-0 and went on to win the PBC regular season title in UNG's first ever season at the NCAA Division II level. 

The Nighthawks were led by graduate guard Caroline Martin who posted a game-high 21 points, 18 of which came in the second half. 12 of her 18 second-half points came in UNG's key third quarter run. 

Martin was joined by three other players in double-digit scoring as the Nighthawks recorded their third game this season in which four players reached double figures. 

Freshman guard Averie Jones totaled 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting while adding five rebounds and three assists. Jones has now reached double figures in five straight games. 

Graduate forward Emily Trushel and senior guard Ansley Hall each added 11 points in the win as well. Trushel contributed five rebounds and a steal while Hall chipped in a season-high six rebounds while dishing out four assists.

Senior guard/forward Dasha Cannon was a key factor in the seventh victory of the season along with junior transfer Jaleah Storr. Cannon snared a season-high five rebounds while going 3-for-4 at the free throw line to add to a five-point performance. Meanwhile, Storr was all over the boards with a game-high eight rebounds in 24 minutes played. She chipped in with seven points in the scoring column as well. 

Against Clayton State who entered the game with a 2-5 record, UNG did not get off to a good start in the second half. The Lakers held close with the Nighthawks in the first 20 minutes as UNG took a slim 35-30 lead into the halftime break. 

Midway through the third quarter however, three-pointers on back-to-back possessions for the Nighthawks completely shifted the momentum in the game. Hall canned the first three while Martin hit another 23 seconds later to give UNG a 48-39 lead. 

UNG would continue to knock down threes and get high percentage shots down the stretch of the third quarter, ending the final five minutes on a 20-6 run to lead by 22 points by the start of the fourth quarter. In total, the Nighthawks went 12-for-17 (70.6 percent) from the floor and 6-for-11 (54.6 percent) from deep in the third quarter alone. 

UNG would maintain its 20-plus point lead for the bulk of the fourth quarter, closing the game with a 21-point victory, its fifth victory by 15 or more points on the season. The Nighthawks have now won their last three games by a combined 56 points. 

After sealing a win in its first road game of the season, UNG will look to continue its success away from home with another road contest on Wednesday, Dec. 11 at Emmanuel. The Nighthawks opened this season with a 79-62 victory over the Lions of Emmanuel in the Peach Belt/Conference Carolinas Challenge. Wednesday's contest in Franklin Springs, Ga. is set to tip off at 5 p.m.