DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Embry-Riddle women's basketball team snapped a two-game losing skid on Friday afternoon with a 69-60 win over Puerto Rico-Mayaguez at the ICI Center. The Eagles were able to survive a late surge by the Janes and improve to 3-2 overall, while UPRM falls to 1-3 on the year.
 
"I'm very proud of our team for finding a way to pull out the win against an experienced team," ERAU Head Coach Lisa Nuxol-Wilson said. "This was a good game for us to learn how to get a lead and maintain it. They were a very good three-point shooting team and we held them to only five threes. On the offensive, end our post players really stepped up and controlled the paint. So for the most part, we executed our game plan. "
 
The first period of play, which featured three ties and four lead changes, saw the Janes shoot 53 percent (8-of-15) from the field compared to just 35.7 percent (5-of-14) by the Eagles, but 7-of-11 shooting from the free throw line helped the Blue and Gold build as much as a five-point lead. UPRM's leading scorer, Martha Rodriguez, who had 10 points in the first 10 minutes, took over in the last part of the quarter, however, and her jump shot as time expired put the Janes up 20-19.
 
In the second quarter, the Eagle defense held the Janes to just two points through the first 8:30. That defense helped ERAU open up a double-digit lead and eight points apiece from Sabrina Whiting and Mercedes Jorge were key in sending ERAU into the locker room with a 36-27 advantage at the half.
 
The Eagles appeared to be in control as they built the lead to 51-39 after three quarters, but the Janes were not to be counted out. In the fourth frame, the visitors stepped up their pressure on the defensive end and forced the Eagles to turn ball over five times and miss two baskets on their first seven possessions of the period.
 
A Kalah Martin free throw at the 5:55 mark ended the scoring drought for ERAU, but UPRM continue to chip away and with 1:34 left to play, Hillary Martinez scored two of her game-high 21 points and that bucket cut the lead to 60-58.
 
On the Eagles' next trip down the court, Ashley McWilliams was fouled and connected on both free throw attempts. The sophomore then forced a turnover on the Janes' next possession and Lauren Ellenberger found Taylor Cyphers under the basket to finish the play and put the Eagles back up by six, 64-58.
 
With 35 seconds left, Martinez struck again to cut the lead to 64-60, but the Eagles, who struggled from the free throw line throughout the contest, answered the Janes' decision to foul down the stretch by making three of four free throws, and a Sabrina Whiting put-back on the missed free throw sealed the win.
 
Jorge was the leading scorer for ERAU with 13 points, while Whiting added 11 and Ellenberger tacked on a season-high 12 to go with four assists.
 
Rodriguez was the only other Jane player in double figures with 15, while Ashley Fermin pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds in the UPRM effort.
 
The Eagles will be back in action at 4 p.m. on Saturday when they close out play in the Bahama House/Best Western Aku Tiki Classic against Sioux Falls (S.D.)