ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Embry-Riddle women's basketball team was unable to overcome a slow start on the road on Saturday, falling to Eckerd 69-59 in Sunshine State Conference play. The Eagles mounted a fierce rally late in Saturday's game, but their comeback bid fell short as the Blue & Gold suffered its first SSC loss of the season.

RECORDS:
Embry-Riddle: 16-2, 10-1 SSC
Eckerd: 13-4, 8-3 SSC
 
GAME NOTES
• The Eagles climbed to No. 10 in the latest WBCA Coaches' Poll and seventh in the most recent D2 CSC Media Poll.
• Mary Lengemann knocked down a career-high four three-pointers on the way to a game-high 18 points.
• Saturday's game was the Tritons' first contest on their home court since Hurricane Helene damaged the McArthur Center in September.
 
KEY PERFORMERS
Embry-Riddle
• Mary Lengemann: 18 pts, 5 reb,
• Madyson Jean-Louis: 12 points, 3 reb
• Laurie Satchell: 5 pts, 13 reb

Eckerd
• Ieva Korzane: 18 pts, 5 ast
• Chance Bucher: 14 pts, 4 reb
• Greta Carollo: 12 pts, 5 reb
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
• It took almost three minutes for the Eagles to get their first points of the day, which came on a Jean-Louis layup that tied the score at 2-2.
• The Eagles managed just three field goals in the first 10 minutes.
• Eckerd's 43 percent clip in the first included 4-of-10 shooting from long range.
• Heading into the second, the Tritons led 16-6.

Second Quarter
• Lengemann's first bucket of the day was a three that cut the Eckerd lead to seven (16-9)
• Following Lengemann's triple, the Eagles endured a four-and-a-half-minute drought that allowed the Tritons to build their lead to 16 points (25-9).
• The Eagles chipped away at the lead and in the last 1:06, Jean-Louis hit a mid-range jumper then got a steal and a fastbreak layup to make it a 10-point (30-20) game at the half.  

Third Quarter
• Eight of the Eagles' 13 third-quarter points came at the free throw line where they were 8-for-10.
• Eckerd was 7-of-18 from the field and built the lead back up to 16 (46-30) with 51 seconds left in the period.
• With two seconds left, Lengemann missed a shot that was rebounded by the Tritons, but Sarah Napoli got a quick steal and spun for a quick shot that went in just as the buzzer sounded to make it a 13-point (46-33) game.
 
Fourth Quarter
• With 5:15 left to play, the Triton lead was 17 points (59-42).
• On the Eagles' next trip down the floor, Napoli hit a jumper to ignite an 11-1 Eagle run.
• After a pair of Korzane free throws put the Tritons back up by 10 (63-53), Lengemann drained a three with 1:04 remaining.
• On the Tritons' next inbound pass, Eckerd turned the ball over and Chandler Brooks found Lengemann for another three that cut the Triton lead to 63-59.
• Jenna Teterycz got a steal on another turnover on a Tritons' attempt to put the ball in play, but moments later the Eagles were called for foul that sent Eckerd to the free throw line.
• The Eagles were unable to capitalize on free throw and second chance opportunities in the closing seconds and Eckerd made five of their last eight free throws to come away with the win.

NEXT UP
The Eagles will play their next game in Melbourne on Wednesday taking on Florida Tech at 5:30 p.m.
 
The 2024-25 Embry-Riddle women's basketball season is presented by Daytona Mitsubishi.