PLYMOUTH, N.H. – The Eastern Connecticut State University women's basketball team forced eight turnovers and held Plymouth State University without a field goal in the first quarter, leading from start to finish in a 69-37 Little East Conference victory Saturday afternoon at Foley Gymnasium.
A winner of seven straight this year and 22 in a row in the series over Plymouth (5-13, 0-11 LEC), Eastern (16-4, 10-1 LEC) remains a game behind unbeaten conference leader Rhode Island College with five regular-season conference games remaining. Rhode Island routed visiting Keene State College, 72-30, Saturday. Eastern has now won at least ten LEC regular-season games in 16 of the last 22 seasons.
Plymouth missed all ten of its first-quarter field goals and trailed, 12-3, after ten minutes before Sarah Smith opened the second quarter with a three-pointer. Leading by 14 at half, the Warriors blew the game open with a 25-point third quarter – shooting 58.3 percent from the floor after shooting well under 40 percent in the first half -- and took a 30-point, 54-24 lead into the final ten minutes.
Plymouth's points were the second-lowest total allowed this year by Eastern, which entered the game ranked third by 1.1 point in the conference in scoring defense. Eastern has not allowed as many as 50 points in 12 games this year, including six of its last seven. The Panthers shot 20.3 percent from the floor.
Sophomore forward Taylor Salato (East Haven) of Eastern led both teams with 17 points – five below her career-high. Salato was 9-of-9 from the foul line, improving her season percentage to 83.6 (46-of-55) – second best on the team. Senior guard Jenna Serrantino (Cromwell) equalled her career high with a game-high ten rebounds, Salato adding six to help the Warriors to a +13 advantage on the boards. Sophomore guard Kya Mayo (Middletown) added ten points on 5-of-9 shooting. Serrantino was 4-of-4 from the foul line and added four assists.
First-year center Savannah Striano (Weymouth, MA) recorded her first career points (and first rebound) with a bucket and free throw inside the final three minutes.
Eastern visits Keene State (4-13, 2-9 LEC) Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., looking to sweep the Owls in the regular-season series for the fifth straight time.