BALTIMORE, Md.--The Hood College women's basketball team (2-8) ended the calendar year on a high note, knocking off local rival Notre Dame (Md.) University (0-8), 71-57, Saturday afternoon in nonconference action.

The Blazers never trailed but had to stave off a late rally by the Gators to earn their second victory of the season and second straight over their former AWCC nemesis.

Hood ripped off the first eight points of the game and led by as many as 11 in the opening stanza. The Blazers took a 26-19 edge into the break after limiting the Gators to just 6-of-27 from the floor (22.2%).

Notre Dame trimmed the deficit to just two at the 13:39 mark of the second half when Imani Stokes converted a layup for two of her game-high 22 points to make it 36-34. After Niccole Brown finished a pass from Sasha Vassel to draw the Gators even, Emily Maerz put back her own miss which ignited a 14-0 run by Hood over the next 4:22.

The Gators wouldn't fold however and put together a furious rally, scoring nine points in 34 seconds, to close to within four (57-53) with 4:20 left in regulation.

After a Hood timeout, Maerz caught fire and scored seven of Hood's next nine unanswered points to regain a 13-point bulge for the Blazers, and Hood kept the hosts at bay the rest of the way.

Dyanna Prater scored a team-high 14 points to lead four Blazers in double figures. Maerz finished with 13 points and a career-high-tying 12 rebounds for her second career "double double" while Wiley notched 11 points and Jessica Talley had a season-high 10. Talley also dished a season-high five assists. Dorrie Mercer chipped in with season-highs in points (5) and rebounds (6) and Heather Boyce buried three treys for nine points.

Stokes shouldered the load for the Gators, scoring 22 points and grabbing 20 rebounds, including 11 on the offensive glass.

The Blazers are idle until Jan. 2 when they return to BB&T Arena to host Washington Adventist University at 7 p.m.