LYNCHBURG, Va. (Interstat) — The Liberty Lady Flames used a dominant third-quarter surge to pull away from the East Carolina Pirates and secure a 69-53 victory in a non-conference women’s basketball game Friday afternoon at the Vines Center.

A balanced and efficient offensive attack, led by a standout performance from Lynchburg native Avery Mills, propelled Liberty to its second win of the young season before a crowd of 1,050. The Lady Flames improved to 2-0, while East Carolina evened its record at 1-1.

The game was tightly contested through the first half. Liberty established an early lead, closing the first quarter with a 19-11 advantage. East Carolina responded with a strong second period, outscoring the Lady Flames 22-15 to narrow the gap to just 34-33 at halftime.

Any momentum the Pirates carried into the break was swiftly extinguished in the third quarter. Liberty’s defense clamped down, holding East Carolina to a mere six points in the period. Simultaneously, the Lady Flames’ offense erupted for 23 points, spearheaded by Mills and Claudia Acin. The decisive run stretched Liberty’s lead to 57-39 heading into the final quarter, and the Pirates could not mount a serious challenge down the stretch.

The statistical sheet told the story of Liberty’s control. The Lady Flames shot a blistering 53.3 percent from the floor, connecting on 10 of 18 attempts from beyond the three-point arc. In stark contrast, East Carolina struggled offensively, making only 17 of its 63 field goal attempts for a 27 percent shooting clip. The Pirates were particularly cold from long range, hitting just 4 of 27 three-point attempts.

Liberty’s offensive execution was further highlighted by an offensive rating of 97.7 points per 100 possessions, dwarfing East Carolina’s mark of 71.6. Despite committing 23 turnovers, which the Pirates converted into 24 points, Liberty’s shooting efficiency and a 38-26 advantage in rebounds proved insurmountable.

Mills led all scorers with 21 points and added 10 rebounds for a double-double. Acin, from Girona, Spain, facilitated the offense with 17 points and a game-high seven assists. Emmy Stout of San Diego contributed 15 points, four rebounds, two assists and two blocks for the Lady Flames.

East Carolina was led by Anzhane’ Hutton, who scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds. Savannah Brooks of Taneytown, Maryland, added 11 points, and Kennedy Fauntleroy from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, chipped in 10 points.

Liberty will look to continue its winning streak on the road against James Madison on Wednesday. East Carolina returns home to face Charleston Southern on Tuesday.