VALDOSTA, GA. - The Eckerd women's basketball team received a career-high performance from Martyna Kowalska, who scored 32 points and 11 rebounds. The Tritons surged in the second half to advance to the NCAA South Region Semifinals with an upset win over No. 8 Union, 84-70, at The Complex on Friday afternoon.
EC and UU swapped points in the opening frame until Eckerd scored six consecutive points in the period's final two minutes to take a 17-14 advantage at the end of the quarter. The Tritons continued their hot hand, going on an 8-0 run to start the second period and take a 25-14 favor at the 7:58 mark. Union cut their deficit to five two minutes later and followed with seven consecutive points to tie the game at 32-32. A last-second triple by Martyna Kowalska gave EC a 40-39 edge at intermission.
An 8-2 start to the second half gave Eckerd a 47-41 edge. The Bulldogs pulled within three at the midway point of the quarter, but back-to-back triples by Hannah Wentworth and Ieva Korzane ignited an 8-0 run to go up by 11. Eckerd stayed in control, taking a 59-53 favor to end the third. EC and UU traded triples to begin the fourth before a traditional three-point play by Lauryn Vieira put EC up by 11. The Tritons went on a 9-0 run and kept the Bulldogs off the board for a five-minute stretch before sealing the win, 84-70.
HOW IT ENDED
FINAL: Eckerd 84, No. 8 Union 70
RECORDS: Eckerd 20-11; Union 29-4
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Eckerd and Union met in the NCAA South Regional for the third straight year.
- Eckerd will make its third straight appearance in the semifinals of the NCAA South Regional.
- Kowalska posted a 32-point, 11-rebound double-double—her third double-double of the year. Her 32 points set a career-high, surpassing the old mark by 11 points. She also added a steal and a block.
- Vieira flirted with a triple-double with 20 points, 14 assists, eight boards, and six steals. She posted her fifth double-double of the year.
- Wentworth added nine points, while Korzane added nine off the bench.
- Eckerd held a 38-22 advantage on the boards.
- Eckerd shot 53.6 percent from the floor and 52.9 percent from the perimeter while holding Union to a 40.9 percent shooting clip.
UP NEXT
Eckerd heads to the semifinals on Saturday, facing No. 15 Tampa at 5:00 PM.
