AMHERST, Mass. – For the fourth straight game, the George Mason women's basketball team took a lead into the fourth quarter.

After three tough losses, this time the lead grew, instead of dwindling.

The Patriots uncorked an impressive performance from start to finish and pulled away from Massachusetts in the final period in a 70-52 victory on Wednesday afternoon for the first Atlantic 10 win of the season.

Nicole Cardaño-Hillary scored 22 points and dished out five assists and Camarie Gatling added 15 points (a perfect 7 for 7 from the field) and a career-high four assists as four players scored in double figures in front of a nationally televised audience. Mason (9-8, 1-3 A-10) snapped a three-game losing streak and picked up its fourth straight win over the Minutewomen.

Junior Jacy Bolton chipped in 12 points, eight rebounds, three blocked shots and three steals. Junior Sarah Kaminski also scored 12 points – all coming in the first half on four 3-pointers.

Mason took the lead for good less than three minutes in and held it for the remainder of the contest. They took a 10-point lead into halftime and led 52-41 after three quarters. The Patriots, who had surrendered leads in the fourth quarter their three previous A-10 contests, put their foot on the pedal against UMass (10-8, 2-2) and shot 50 percent in the last stanza.

The Patriots shot 44.8 percent from the field while holding UMass to just 35 percent. Mason dished out 20 assists on 26 made baskets, with seven players notching an assist. The Patriots also outrebounded the Minutewomen (38-36) and had fewer turnovers (14-13).

Mason heads back to Fairfax before making the short trek to George Washington for a 2 p.m. matchup on Saturday in Washington, D.C.