DAHLONEGA – The No. 23 University of North Georgia (UNG) women's basketball team grabbed an 85-74 non-conference road win at Catawba Monday afternoon. The Nighthawks are now 9-0 this season, marking the first time since 1986 they've started a season unbeaten through nine games.

Graduate guard Caroline Martin posted season-high 27 points on an extremely efficient shooting performance. She went 9-for-12 from the floor and 7-for-8 at the free throw line. Martin did not miss a two-point attempt all game as she went 2-for-5 from downtown. She added six rebounds, two assists and three steals in the win. 

Fellow graduate forward Emily Trushel had a big game as well in the 11-point victory. She dropped 19 points with six rebounds and two assists while going 7-for-13 from the floor and 3-for-7 from three-point range. Monday marked Trushel's third game this season with 19 or more points and her seventh double-figure outing. Her three-point shooting has been key to UNG's success this season as she's made one or more threes in eight of the Nighthawks' nine games this year.

Freshman guard Averie Jones continues to play a pivotal role for UNG as she added 16 points, five rebounds, three assists and a career-high five steals in the win. Jones has recorded nine steals in the last two games for the Nighthawks. She has four multi-steal games this season as her 10 steals rank third on the team behind only Trushel (12) and Martin (11). 

With Martin, Trushel and Jones each collecting five or more rebounds, sophomore forward Kendall Emener solidified UNG's presence on the glass with six rebounds herself. She added eight points in the scoring column as the Nighthawks out rebounded the Indians 33 to 23 in the game. 

Emener's eight points also bolstered UNG's paint presence. With their aggressive offensive attack, the Nighthawks posted a season-high 40 points in the paint to take down Catawba. 

The two teams traded baskets in the first minutes of the game before a 10-0 UNG run opened up an early 15-7 advantage for head coach Buffie Burson and company. The lead would grow to as many as 13 points in the first quarter after a three-pointer from senior guard Carly Fahey made it 22-9. 

While the Nighthawks would not concede their lead the rest of the game, things got dicey in the third quarter as the Indians caught fire on both offense and defense. 

With 9:02 to play in the quarter, UNG held its largest lead of the game at 16 points. Catawba would outscore the Nighthawks 20-7 over the next five-plus minutes though to get back within three points at 54-51. Martin silenced the Indians' run with a three-pointer in transition after a steal from Jones. 

The Nighthawks would take a 61-57 lead into the fourth quarter. In the first possession of the final stanza, Catawba's Saniya Wilson converted on a jumper to pull the Indians within two points, their smallest deficit since the first quarter. Trushel buried a three-pointer 19 seconds later to make it 64-59 UNG with 9:08 to play.

A few minutes later, a Catawba turnover led to a smooth jumper from junior guard Jaleah Storr to extend the Nighthawk lead back to eight points with six minutes remaining. 

Nala Baker drained a three on the other end to keep things close at 71-66 with 4:58 to play. 

Emener had two huge buckets down the stretch to help the Nighthawks pull away, however. First, she caught the ball from Storr on the right block, turned against her defender and dropped the ball in off the window late in the shot clock. On the next possession after an Indians turnover, Emener received the ball at the top of the key and looked to initiate the offensive set. However, Emener's defender played back, daring the sophomore to shoot. The Macon, Ga. native made Catawba pay as she rattled down a long two-pointer to give her team a 75-66 lead with less than four minutes left.

Buckets from senior guard Ansley Hall and Trushel on back-to-back possessions put the Nighthawks firmly in the driver's seat as they held a 13-point lead with 2:55 to go. Jones cemented the win moments later with a dagger three-pointer to make it 83-69 with 1:34 to play. 

UNG would go on to win by a final score of 85-74 to seal its ninth win of the year. 

Now the Nighthawks will look to remain unbeaten as they prepare to face their second ranked opponent of the season on Saturday, Dec. 21. UNG will welcome No. 10 Carson-Newman to Lynn Cottrell Arena at the UNG Convocation Center at 1:30 p.m. in a game that could have implications on the region's top seed and host of the NCAA Tournament in March. The Eagles are 9-1 on the year and will travel to Limestone on Wednesday before arriving in Dahlonega this weekend.