Staying above the .500 mark is not usually a problem for the GW women’s basketball team. Early in the 1997-’98 season, though, the Colonial women have struggled to hold on to a winning record.

Since a loss to cross-town rival American University that dropped GW to 2-3 on the season, the Colonial women have won five of their last seven games to improve to 7-5 and 2-1 in the Atlantic 10.

GW 86, St. Bonaventure 81

After trailing 38-37 at halftime, the Colonial women came back to beat St. Bonaventure University at the Reilly Center Saturday.

GW shot a blistering 59 percent from the field in the second half in coming back to beat the Bonnies (9-6, 1-2 A-10).

The Colonial women were led by sophomore guard Elisa Aguilar, who lit up the Bonnies for 32 points, including five three-pointers. Chasity Myers, Noelia Gomez and Marlo Egleston all joined Aguilar in double figures for GW.

Western Kentucky 78, GW 53

Western Kentucky University outscored GW by 20 points in the second half to beat the visiting Colonial women Jan. 6.

The Lady Hilltoppers repaid GW for a 88-63 drubbing the Colonial women handed them last year at the Smith Center when Western Kentucky was ranked 22nd in the nation.

Four players scored in double figures in the game for Western Kentucky, which improved to 12-3 with the win. GW’s defense was able to limit the Lady Hilltoppers to just 31 percent shooting in the first half, but they came back in the second to connect on 61 percent of their shots.

GW was also badly outclassed inside, as Western Kentucky held a 59-29 edge in rebounding.

Sophomore guard Chasity Myers led the Colonial women with 20 points.

GW 73, Dayton 59

Five GW players broke into double figures to lift the Colonial women to a win over Dayton University Jan. 4 at the Smith Center, their first victory in the A-10.

Elisa Aguilar led all GW scorers with 15 points and nine assists. Forward Mandisa Turner turned in a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, while Noelia Gomez added 13 points and eight boards.

The Colonial women struggled in the paint, though, as Gomez made just two of her 14 shots, and the Flyers out-rebounded GW 51-35.

GW’s outside play was the difference in the game. The Colonial women burned Dayton from long range, hitting 10 of their 16 three-point attempts.

Xavier 63, GW 58

GW’s two Spaniards, Elisa Aguilar and Noelia Gomez, combined for

52 of GW’s 58 points, but their efforts weren’t enough as the Colonial women dropped their league opener to Xavier Jan. 2.

The loss was the first A-10 home loss for GW in nearly three years. Penn State handed the Colonial women their last home A-10 loss Jan. 8, 1995, beating GW 75-64.

GW trailed by as many as 11 points in the second half, but the team came back to take a 54-52 lead on a three-pointer by Aguilar with 4:32 remaining in the game.

The Colonial women were able to score just four more points in the game, though, while they allowed Xavier to win the game from the free throw line. In the final four minutes, Xavier visited the charity stripe 13 times and made 11 of its free throws.

Aguilar led the Colonial women with 28 points and five three-pointers, while Gomez added 24 points. Just two other GW players broke into the scoring column to account for the team’s other six points. The rest of the team combined to hit three of 26 shots from the field and none of its seven attempts from the free throw line.

GW also lost starting forward Petra Dubovcova for the season to a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee. The freshman averaged 11.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.