NEWPORT NEWS, VA. – In a contest that saw nine ties and 18 lead changes, a 9-2 run over a four minute span late in the second half helped the Apprentice School Lady Builders overtake Virginia University of Lynchburg and score a 67-63 win on Senior Day Sunday.

With the win, the Apprentice School (22-2) tied the school record for the most regular season wins held by the 2000-01 team which holds the record for wins in a year finishing 24-3.  They also extended their school-record home court winning streak to 15.

Each team held a six-point lead at one time of the game, the visiting Dragons used an early 6-0 spurt to take a 15-9 lead on a jumper from Breanna Johnson with 12:41 left.  Apprentice School quickly tied the contest up at 17-all on a Courtney Collins jumper with 9:52 left. 

From that point, the lead was never larger than three points as the Dragons took a 28-25 lead on a Natasia Saunders layup with 4:43 left.  The Lady Builders worked their way back into tying the game for the fifth time of the half on a foul shot by Collins with 30 seconds left for a 30-all halftime score.

In the second half, VUL held the advantage for the first ten minutes scoring the first five points of the half to lead 35-30 on a 3-point play from Ebony Ellis with 18:34 left.  They still held a five-point advantage with 16:37 left on an Ellis jumper with 16:37 left.  Apprentice School tied it for the first time of the second half at 44-all on a pair of Denise Hamilton free throws with 11:29 left and took their first lead of the second half on a Hamilton jumper with 11:03 left to lead 46-45.

Over the next five minutes the lead stayed in the three and under range before a Saunders 3-point play put the Dragons ahead for the final time at 55-54 with 6:20 left.  Apprentice School then went on its 9-2 spurt over the next 4:18 to take a 63-57 lead on a Danita Whitaker layup with 2:02 left.  From there, the Lady Builders used a pair of free throws from Hamilton and Christina Licano down the stretch to ice the win.

Hamilton scored a career-high 22 points with 10 rebounds, while Collins had 14 points, six rebounds and five assists.  Whitaker added 13 points, eight rebounds and three steals to lead the Lady Builders.  VUL (10-9) were topped by Saunders and Ellis with 14 points apiece.

Apprentice School closes out its regular season with a home game on Tuesday night at 6 pm against NCAA Division II Washington Adventist University.