Eastern Connecticut Defeats Women's Hoops, 90-62

WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – Sophomore forward Anna Barry (Andover) and senior forward Mya Villard (Cromwell) each had 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the floor in the first half and sophomore guard Danielle O'Brien (Rockland, MA) had eight assists and three steals over the first 20 minutes as the Eastern Connecticut State University women's basketball team defeated Emmanuel College, 90-62, in a non-conference game Monday evening at Francis E. Geissler Gymnasium.

A winner of eight straight, Eastern (12-2) shot 60 percent and scored 24 points off 18 Emmanuel (9-5) turnovers to build a 26-point, 54-28 lead by halftime. The Warriors led by as many as 38 points early in the fourth quarter on the way to their  highest point total and largest winning margin in this 27-game series in snapping Emmanuel's four-game win streak.

Eastern trailed by four early but ran off the final 17 points of the first quarter to break a tie and move out to a 14-point, 29-15 lead after ten minutes. The Warriors converted seven of 11 field goals in that stretch while the Saints missed four shots and turned the ball over eight times in their 12 possessions in that stretch. Villard and Barry combined for 14 of those 17 points, with sophomore guard Jenna Serrantino (Cromwell) accounting for the remaining three points with a three-point field goal. Villard ignited  the streak and Barry capped it by completing conventional three-point plays.

Villard led all players with 23 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Barry tossed in 17 points with eight rebounds and four assists. Sophomore point guard Julie Keckler (Trumbull) scored 17 points for the third time this year and tossed in a career-high five three-point field goals (on seven attempts). Senior guard Lizzy Cretella (Cheshire) added 12 points and four assists and O'Brien handed out a career-high nine assists.

Sophomore forward Riley Lahiff (Attleboro, MA)  led Emmanuel with a career-high 17 points off the bench and senior guard Yuleska Ramirez-Tejeda (Cambridge, MA) had ten points and ten rebounds.

Eastern shot 50.7 percent in the game on the way to its highest point total of the year while the 90 points allowed was also the most Emmanuel has given up this season. The teams combined to score 57 points off a combined 48 turnovers.

In a battle of the lone unbeatens in the Little East Conference, Eastern hosts Rhode Island College Wednesday at 4:00 PM The Warriors trail the Anchorwomen by a half-game in the standings. Emmanuel is also back in action on Wednesday, playing host to University of Saint Joseph (CT) in Great Northeast Athletic Conference action at 7:00 PM.

*Release courtesy of ECSU Athletic Communications