Box Score MELBOURNE, Fla. - The Eckerd College women's basketball team found themselves on the losing end of the Sunshine State Conference opener against Florida Tech on Saturday, 76-60.
The Panthers opened up the contest going on an 8-0 run.
Rana Thomas got the scoring going for Eckerd with a jumper. The Triton offense then followed up the basket with a 15-2 run spanning six and a half minutes to give EC a 17-10 lead midway through the first half.
FIT battled back to within four, down 19-15, with 9:15 remaining until halftime.
Victoria Vine hit a turn-around jumper to put her team back up by six. The Panther's then ran off 11 unanswered points to take a 26-21 lead.
Trine Kasemagi knocked down a big three pointer to bring her team within two, down 33-31. Vine and Bowlin answered every Panther shot with a three in the following two possessions bringing the score to 38-37 in favor of Florida Tech.
Eckerd took the lead after the defense forced a turnover which led to a two point bucket from Vine. The Tritons capitalized on a steal on FIT's next trip down the court with Kasemagi hitting two free throws. EC took a slim one point lead into the locker room, 41-40.
Kasemagi put in Eckerd's first basket of the second half to start the final 20 minutes of the contest. Florida Tech then took the lead on a 10-2 run over the next six minutes.
Jordyn Alexander was able to bring EC within six with back-to-back free throws.
The Panthers then opened up the game knocking down threes and open jumpers taking a 70-49 lead with under five minutes to play. Eckerd played tough down the stretch trying to get back in the game but fell, 76-60.
Bowlin ended the game leading EC with 16 points. Vine and Kasemagi both finished in double digits with 12 and 11 points respectively. As a team, the Tritons shot 82 percent from the free throw line in the contest.
Eckerd (5-2, 0-1) will look to Saturday when they take on Paine College (1-4) in nonconference action. Tip-off in Augusta, Ga. is scheduled for 2 p.m.
