No. 5 Tritons Knock Off No. 9 Falcons

TAMPA, Fla. - The No. 5 Triton women's basketball team handed Bentley (Mass.) its first loss of the season tonight in a neutral site game at the University of Tampa by a score of 71-51 Saturday afternoon.

The Tritons started down early in the first, down 9-4 in the first three minutes of the game. Lauryn Vieira began a scoring run for the Tritons to bring them their first lead with with Ragnheidur Einarsdottir and Nicole Scales scoring to give EC a lead, 10-9. Both teams traded layups before a pair made free throws by Hannah Wentworth gave Eckerd a 16-13 favor at the end of the first quarter. Maya Price and Sofia Persson continued EC's scoring into the second quarter. Price hit a 3-pointer at the eight minute mark of the second quarter before both teams went back and forth for nearly three minutes without a basket. Ciara Norman brought the Falcons within four with a pair of jumpers. The Tritons went on to net three 3-pointers straight with two from Einarsdottir, and another from Vieira, putting Eckerd up by 11 at the half, 32-21. 

Once again, Price opened up the scoring in the quarter, with a pair of jumpers extending the Triton lead to 12 in the third. Every chance Bentley had to come back in the third quarter, the Tritons quickly matched with a scoring run of their own. The Tritons ended the third quarter up 14, 51-37, off a jumper in the paint by Cirkeline Rimdal. Wentworth added her 22nd 3-pointer of the year to put the Tritons up 19 early in the fourth quarter. Ieva Korzane added a pair of layups late in the game as the Tritons secured the 71-51 victory. 

HOW IT ENDED
FINAL: No. 5 Eckerd 71, No. 9 Bentley 51
RECORDS: Eckerd 5-1 (1-0 SSC); Bentley 4-1 (2-0 NE10)

NOTES AND NUMBERS 

• Vieira flirted with a double-double as she tallied 16 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and four steals. 
• Eckerd shot 10-for-14 at the free throw line, with Wentworth shooting 4-for-5, and Scales with a perfect 2-for-2. 
• The Tritons converted 12 points off of Falcons' turnovers. 
• Eckerd outshot Bentley in the paint 30 to 22.

QUOTABLE
"Our rebounding and defensive effort was outstanding today," stated head coach Paul Honsinger '98. "We also limited our turnovers and pushed well in transition. This was our fourth game in eight days and our energy remained high. It was a great team win against a strong program. I'm very proud of our effort today."

UP NEXT
Eckerd makes a short trip to Lakeland, Florida, Wednesday to take on a familiar conference rival, Florida Southern, in George Jenkins Field House with a 5:30 PM tipoff.