JACKSON, Tenn. – The Embry-Riddle women's basketball team led early, but had to hold off a fierce rally late in a 57-54 victory over Eckerd in the Eagles' opening game of the NCAA II South Region tournament. The Eagles improve to 24-7 on the year and advance to take on host Union in the regional semifinal at 7:30 p.m. (CST) on Saturday.
The Eagles got off to a great start in Friday's game, racing out to a 13-0 lead. The Eagles were 50.0 percent from the field, including a 4-of-7 clip from long range. ERAU was just as effective on the defensive side of the ball as the Tritons went 6:12 before registering their first points of the night. Eckerd managed just three field goals in the first quarter and at the end of the frame, the Blue and Gold led 21-8.
The Eagle offense did not let up in the second frame and they built the lead to 20 before taking an 18-point advantage into the locker room at the half.
Miscues plagued the Eagles in the third quarter as they turned the ball over on each of their first four possessions. The Tritons capitalized with an 11-0 run and at the 7:07 mark, the ERAU lead had been cut to nine (38-29).
Sigrid Sandstrom ended the Eagles' scoring drought with a layup and a 7-2 ERAU spurt built the lead back up to 14 (45-31), but the Tritons kept the pressure on and trailed by just nine (45-36) heading into the final period.
Eckerd continued the full court press in the fourth quarter and the strategy paid off as they outscored the Eagles 13-4 in the first six minutes to knot the score at 49-49.
Tara Fields got an offensive rebound and a layup to put the Eagles back in front, 51-49, but Kacie Juday made a layup and a free throw to give the Tritons their first lead of the game (52-51) with 2:06 left to play.
On the Eagles' next trip down the court,
Ashley McWilliams found
Lauren Ellenberger on the wing and the junior came up with a big basket, draining her second three of the night to reclaim the lead for the Blue and Gold.
The Tritons came up empty on their next possession and when the Eagles came up with the rebound, Eckerd sent
Sabrina Whiting to the free throw line. Whiting knocked down both free throws to make it a two-possession (56-52) game and on their next trip down the court, the Tritons turned the ball over and committed another foul. Ellenberger was one of two from the charity stripe, but it was enough to seal the win and send the Eagles into the program's first regional semifinal.
Fields led the Eagles with 13 points and six rebounds, while Sandstrom and Ellenberger added 12 and nine points, respectively.
