Montreat, N.C. - After coming out on the positive end of three close games, UVa-Wise came up short on the road Wednesday night. Montreat College held on to the lead to seal a 70-67 women's basketball upset in Appalachian Athletic Conference play.

Down 64-54 with 3:07 left, the Highland Cavaliers (13-8) went on an 11-2 run to pull to within a point, 66-65, the closest margin of the contest on a Kristin Mullins put back. Mullins hit two free throws with 41.5 seconds to get back to within a point, 68-67. Montreat (15-8) saw Chacie Bullock sink her second pair of free throws in the final minute for a 70-67 score with 7.6 ticks. Amber Carter rushed the ball down the floor for UVa-Wise but tried to get the ball to the wing and Brittany Maxwell could not get a shot off for the same final of 70-67.

Mullins poured in 24 points on seven of 13 tries and 10 of 11 from the charity stripe while grabbing eight caroms. Meghan Rutherford chipped in a season-best 17 points on six of nine attempts and hauled down eight rebounds. Carter added 13 points and five assists.

The defeat keeps UVa-Wise in the AAC lead at 8-3 after heading into the night ahead in the AAC standings by a game and a half.

Montreat received 14 tallies from Anjelica Jackson with Bullock and Kera Bryant both hitting for 12 points apiece.

The home team held UVa-Wise to a 19 of 56 (33.9%) rate from the floor including one two of 15 from long-range.

Montreat scored the game's first two buckets and led by as many as 10 points in the first half before taking a 39-31 score to half. The advantage grew to as many as 13 points four time midway through the second half as Montreat led the entire way.

UVa-Wise returns home on Saturday to host Tennessee Wesleyan for a 2:00 p.m. tip-off.