NEWBERRY, S.C. - On the back of freshman Haylee Lepaio's ninth double-double of the season, the Newberry Wolves bounced back from back-to-back losses to defeat the Brevard Tornados 56-53.

Brevard (5-12, 0-9 South Atlantic Conference) opened the scoring before taking a seven point lead at 13:02 remaining in the first half on a pair of made free throws by Micheala Watkins. Newberry (11-6, 6-3 SAC) battled back into the game as freshman Zara Pearson (Echuca, Victoria, Australia) cut the Tornados lead to three points as she hit a pair of free throws. Lepaio's (Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia) layup with 9:19 remaining put the Wolves behind by one point.

With 8:00 left in the half senior Keisha Henderson (Columbia, S.C.) made a free throw to tie the game, before Lepaio put Newberry ahead by two with 6:27 on the clock. Newberry's lead held to the end of the half as sophomore Devanee Taylor (Chester, Va.) hit a layup to give the Wolves a six-point lead entering halftime.

Lepaio led all scorers at half with 12 points and tallied eight rebounds. Pearson reached a career high five rebounds in the first half.

Newberry opened the second half on a hot streak running out to a nine-point lead with 17:02 remaining in the game. Brevard battled back into the game and with just over ten minutes remaining tied the game at 39-39 when Alyssa Cutshaw hit from the 3-point line.

A pair of made free throws by Watkins gave the Tornados a one point lead with 7:54 remaining, before Newberry regained the lead a Gleeson layup. Newberry carried its lead to the buzzer despite a pair of 3-point opportunities from Brevard's Holli Flippo and Asheley Watkins with less than 12 seconds remaining.

Lepaio led the way for Newberry with 20 points and 14 rebounds, while Pearson recorded six rebounds.

Newberry continues its homestand on Saturday as the Wolves host Tusculum at 2 p.m.