BELHAVEN — It’s been a tough start to the 2014-2015 basketball season for the Lady Raiders. Pungo has been experiencing a period of offensive dormancy of late, scoring less than 30 points in each of its last two contests, both losses.

But that all changed when Albemarle came to Belhaven on Tuesday, as the Lady Raiders leaned on the hot hand of Taylor Mann en route to their first win of the season, a dominating 60-25 performance.

“We needed a win. We needed it bad and it kind of helped them get over the hump. We’ve had a tough few games, so this is what we needed,” said head coach Melanie Sawyer after the game.

A Washington Daily News All-County First Team selection last season, Mann’s 34 points and 15 rebounds provided the boost the Lady Raiders have so desperately been seeking. It was a performance that had the offense operating on all cylinders through all 32 minutes.

“Scoring, leadership … everybody looks to her to be the main person to go to most the time,” Sawyer said. “But they all stepped up tonight. I was proud of how they all played. We’re going to relax and enjoy the win.”

Mann’s presence was made known almost instantaneously. Her authority in the paint forced Albemarle to settle for outside shots, too many from the perimeter that quickly widened the lead for Pungo.

At point, it took Macy Morgan a few minutes to get into a rhythm, but a handful of early turnovers gave way to productive passing and methodical ball movement. Mann capitalized off the guards’ distribution and dropped 13 points in the first quarter.

The Lady Colts’ deficit only grew through the second quarter. This time, it was Pungo’s 1-3-1 defense that stepped up, holding Albemarle to just two baskets, as Mann continued to rule the paint. Gibsen Armstrong and Mann opened the quarter on a 7-0 run, one that put the game virtually out of reach.

Up 31-11 at the half, Pungo outscored Albemarle 14-3 in the third quarter, giving Sawyer the ability to rest her playmakers through the final eight minutes.

In the fourth, Armstrong dropped eight of her 16 points, while also contributing 13 rebounds on the night. Despite the lopsided win, Sawyer still sees room for improvement.

“It was ok defensively got the beginning of the season,” she said. “We have to work on our back end a little bit in that 1-3-1, but the man-to-man tonight was a little better than it’s been.”

With the win, Pungo improves to 1-3 this season and will head to Merry Hill next Tuesday to take part in the Nick Brantley Tournament at Lawrence Academy.