JACKSON, Tenn. - Despite only trailing by a basket at halftime to the top-ranked Bulldogs, the No. 21 Eckerd women's basketball team was unable to complete the upset as No. 1 Union (Tenn.) used a strong third quarter to defeat the Tritons, 73-48, in the second round of the NCAA South Regional Saturday night at Fred Delay Gymnasium.
Lauryn Vieira opened the scoring with a layup before Union followed with eight consecutive points to take an 8-2 lead. EC rallies to pull back within one at 8-7. UU pushed back out by five, but the Tritons rallied again to pull within one before ending the frame down 17-14.
A Sofia Persson layup to open the second stanza pulled EC within one, 17-16. However, the Bulldogs pushed back in front by five, 24-19, at the 5:38 mark. A Hannah Wentworth triple capped a 6-3 Eckerd run to pull within one at 29-28 before trailing at the half, 31-28.
Union made an early triple to open the second half before EC held UU without a field goal for the next four minutes. The Bulldogs followed with 10 consecutive points to take a double-digit lead, 44-28, before taking a 54-29 lead to end the third. EC and UU swapped baskets throughout the final frame as Union cruised to a 73-48 win.
HOW IT ENDED
FINAL: #1 Union 73, #21 Eckerd 48
RECORDS: Eckerd 21-5; Union 28-2
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Maya Price led Eckerd with 10 points while Wentworth and Ragnheidur Einarsdottir added nine and eight, respectively.
- Lauryn Vieira led EC on the boards with eight while Persson added seven.
- Eckerd shot 27.2 percent from the floor.
- Union shot 45.3 percent from the floor and 50.0 percent from deep.
- The matchup was just the second in program history with Union, previously meeting in 1986.
- Eckerd's appearance in the semifinals was the second in program history.
- Price also added two blocks. She ends the season with 60, ranking second in single-season records.
- Vieira ends the season with 153 assists ranking third in single-season records.
- Eckerd ends the season with 21 wins, marking the fifth straight season with 20-plus wins and the fifth consecutive year with a trip to the National Tournament.
QUOTABLE
PRESS CONFERENCE
"We were in contention at the half only down three, which was a promising message to the group at halftime. However, we just didn't make shots in the second half," said head coach Paul Honsinger '98. "This group has been fantastic all year, and they play for each other. We have them all coming back next year, which is encouraging for us and our program."
