MONTEVALLO, Ala. – Despite a dominant 26-point performance from Shayla Golden, the University of West Alabama women's basketball team came up just short against Montevallo, falling 67-62 on the road Wednesday night at the Central State Bank Arena.

Golden led all scorers, shooting an efficient 9-for-15 from the field and going a perfect 8-for-8 at the free-throw line while adding seven rebounds. Kaedre Denson provided a strong inside presence with 15 points and nine rebounds, while Kendall Lacoste chipped in 10 points.

West Alabama (4-20, 4-16 GSC) started strong, taking a 16-15 lead after the first quarter. However, Montevallo (11-13, 9-10 GSC) responded with a 17-11 second quarter to grab a five-point advantage at the half.

The Tigers struggled offensively in the third, shooting just 20 percent from the field, allowing the Falcons to extend their lead. Despite a strong 25-point fourth-quarter surge, West Alabama couldn't complete the comeback.

Elisa Saffold led Montevallo with 21 points and seven rebounds, while Aubrey Sorrells added 12 points. The Falcons capitalized on second-chance opportunities, outrebounding the Tigers 36-25 and scoring 12 second-chance points.

West Alabama will look to bounce back when they travel to face Auburn-Montgomery on Saturday at 2 p.m.