Nov. 22, 2011

Box Score

WILIMANTIC, Conn. - The high-pressure Emmanuel College defense forced Eastern Connecticut State University into 23 percent shooting from the floor and 20 turnovers as the Saints emerged with a 57-53 non-conference women's basketball victory in a battle of 2010/11 NCAA tournament qualifiers Tuesday night at Francis E. Geissler Gymnasnium.

Eastern (2-1) managed only two points through the first 12 minutes in falling behind by nine, and never caught up. Down by eight in the opening minute of the second half, the Warriors chipped away but could never get closer than four points until the final minute.

A three-pointer by Kristina Forsman cut the Emmanuel (2-1) lead to one point with 10.2 left. After one free throw restored a two-point Saints' lead with nine seconds left, Eastern could not capitalize on a chance to tie or go ahead when it gave the ball back to Emmanuel with a turnover after rebounding the second missed free throw. Fouled in the front court with 6.4 seconds left, Laura Benvenuto swished her only two free throw attempts of the game to seal the Emmanuel win.

Emmanuel managed the win despite missing 14 of 25 free throws (the Saints were 5-for-10 from the stripe in the final two minutes), turning the ball over 28 times and shooting 39 percent from the floor. Eastern missed 15 of 18 three-point field goals, including all seven attempts in the first half.

Benvenuto scored 13 of her game-high 15 points in the second half, when she canned five of six field goals. The junior guard also hauled in 7 rebounds and dished out a team-high 3 assists for the Saints. Emmanuel guard Meghan Kirwan netted 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds for the Saints, while Victoria Johnson added 12 points (6-for-8 from the floor) and six rebounds.

Behind Forsman, Lauren Kelleher, Piper Chapman and Jessica Blodgett each totaled ten points. Kelleher recorded her third double-double in three games this season by adding a game-high 14 rebounds, with Chapman pulling down ten. Blodgett missed 17 of 19 field goals but contributed a career-high 11 rebounds.

Eastern visits Manhattanville College Monday at 7pm. Emmanuel will host Brandeis University on Tuesday night at 7pm.

- Courtesy of ECSU Sports Information