RALEIGH, N.C. - The Meredith College basketball team held on for a 70-64 victory over cross-town rival William Peace in Wednesday's USA South action. Jessi Hayes led the Avenging Angels with 18 points, and Brittaney Rice posted a game-high nine rebounds.

The Angels jumped out to a 13-2 lead before William Peace had a chance to respond.

The Pacers scored the next five points en route to a 15-5 run that would cut the Meredith lead to just one point with 10:52 remaining in the period.

The next time down the floor, Hayes found Raven Gregory inside the paint for a layup, and Gregory added a bonus point on the play.

A tenacious Pacer squad scored 7 of the next 10 points, interrupted only by the first of Nicole Miller's four three-point buckets.

Meredith managed to hold on to a first half advantage, in part, with three more long range shots from Miller. The Avenging Angels finished the half on a second chance bucket thanks to an offensive rebound from Gregory dished off to Miller for two. The field goal sent Meredith into the locker room up 42-36 at the break.

On the first offensive set of the second half, Rice drove through the middle for a layup to extend the Angel advantage to eight.

Danielle Lee drained a pair of free throws, but back-to-back threes from Peace pulled the visitors to within two points with 15 minutes to play.

Hayes responded with a three-pointer of her own, assisted by Laquetta Hairston, as Meredith launched a 13-2 series to spread the gap back to double-digits.

WPU's Ka'La Jordan found the game's leading scorer Derrica Jones inside for an easy bucket, and she made it a three-point effort with a foul on the play.

Dejah Cheatham drained a pair of threes to continue Peace's effort to shrink the gap. Tamara Murphy recorded a three-point play to give WPU their first and only lead of the game at 78-77 with 7:18 remaining in regulation.

But Peace sent the Avenging Angels to the line on five occasions down the stretch, and Meredith hit 9-of-10 to secure its eighth win on the season and seventh in league play.

Lee and Miller recorded 15 points apiece, and Hayes added five assists to her contribution in the win. Gregory and Lee grabbed eight boards apiece, and Gregory finished with seven points.

WPU's Jones led all with 19 points, adding seven rebounds, and Jordan finished with 14 points, eight boards.

Meredith travels next to Ferrum College to face off with the Panthers Saturday at 2 p.m. Follow the game live HERE. And the Angels cap off the conference doubleheader in Staunton, Virginia, Sunday at Mary Baldwin.

Watch tonight's postgame interview with Jessi Hayes