NORTH MIAMI, Fla.- The Ave Maria University women's basketball team rattled off their fourth victory in a row on Thursday night, claiming an 80-72 victory over Johnson and Wales University in North Miami. The win was AMU's third consecutive conference triumph, and secured a season sweep over the Wildcats.

Ave Maria started fast on the road, jumping out to a 13-point lead after one quarter. The Gyrenes led by as many as 15 in the opening ten minutes, and scored 14 of the game's first 16 points. The 14-2 run that started the game was keyed by five points from Lauren Gillingham, and saw the Gyrenes hold the Wildcats to just one field goal in the first six minutes of the game. After ten minutes, Ave Maria held a 22-9 lead.

Despite stretching the lead to 19 points in the second quarter, Johnson and Wales was able to pull within four points late in the half, and had the lead trimmed to seven points at halftime. With the score 30-11 with 6:37 to play in the half, the Wildcats went on a 17-2 run to pull within 32-28. Layups from Gillingham and Jasmine Bateman allowed AMU to take a 36-29 lead into the locker room.

A big Ave Maria run helped the Gyrenes retake control of the game in the third quarter. Johnson and Wales had closed the gap to three points, 40-37, with 5:57 to play. From that point, the Gyrenes closed the third quarter on a 13-5 run, increasing their edge to 53-42. The run included three layups from Syanne Rowe, which accounted for all six of the freshman's points. 

A high-scoring fourth quarter saw the Gyrenes keep the Wildcats at bay, never allowing the hosts to get any closer than eight points. Ave Maria sealed the victory despite allowing 30 points in the final frame, thanks to scoring 27 points themselves.

Sarah Miller led the Gyrenes with 24 points and 15 rebounds, including nine on the offensive glass. Gillingham, who did not exit the game, came near a triple-double with 22 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. The only other Gyrene in double figures was Mallory Burton, who had 12 points. 

Johnson and Wales' 72-point effort was propelled by four double-figure scorers, including a team-high 23 points from Diamond Williams. 

The Gyrenes will look to continue their four-game winning streak on Saturday when Keiser University comes to town. The women will serve as the opening game of a doubleheader, which is scheduled to tip off at 2:00 p.m.