Engineers take off after first quarter to defeat Seahawks, 57-47

SEAHAWK WOMEN'S BASKETBALL RESULTS
Rensselaer 57, Salve Regina 47
Rodgers Rec. Ctr. - Newport, R.I.
Saturday, December 30, 2017

Summary
NEWPORT, R.I. - Elizabeth Eckhardt (Albany, N.Y.) and Torie Scorpio (Cranston, R.I.) led their respective teams with 16 points apiece as visiting Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute defeated Salve Regina University, 57-47, in non-league women's basketball action at the Rodgers Recreation Center on Saturday afternoon. Salve Regina led by seven (16-9) after the first quarter, but Rensselaer flipped the score in the second quarter (19-7) to lead by five at the break and never tie or trail the rest of the way.

Series and Streaks
Rensselaer leads the all-time series, 2-0, as the only previous meeting came nine years ago in Boston during a tournament hosted by Emmanuel College. The Engineers (6-3) have now won three straight on the season with three sets of three-game streaks (wins, losses, wins). Salve Regina (5-4) loses for the first time at home in 2017-18 (4-1) and sees its win streak at the Rodgers Recreation Center end at seven games.

Three Stars of the Game

1. Rensselaer junior Elizabeth Eckhardt (Albany, N.Y.) scored a team-high 16 points on six of 16 from the floor, including three 3-pointers (all in the second quarter).
2. Salve Regina sophomore Torie Scorpio (Cranston, R.I.) led her team with 16 points on six of 16 from the floor, including two 3-pointers. She also dished out three assists and made four steals.
3. Rensselaer senior Shaina Iton (Peekskill, N.Y.) pulled down a game-high 15 rebounds, 12 on the defensive glass, and scored seven points.

Key Stat of the Game
Rensselaer outrebounded Salve Regina, 49-26, limiting second-chance opportunities for the Seahawks. The Engineers committed 29 turnovers, but survived with their bench outscoring the Seahawks, 18-7.

Turning Point
Eckhardt's three 3-pointers came on successive scoring plays for the Engineers in the second quarter. Her first trey put the visitors on top for the first time, 19-18, with 6:08 left in the first half. Scorpio followed nearly three minutes later with her first 3-pointer to put Salve Regina back in the lead, 21-19. Eckhardt wasted no time in regaining the advantage with her second 3-pointer; her third trey of the second quarter gave RPI a 25-21 lead with just under three minutes remaining before the break. Junior Sam Krumbhaar (Glen Burnie, Md.) hit a long trey from the top of the arc for the last basket of the first half and a 28-23 Rensselaer advantage.

Quick Hits

• Ally Esielionis (Shirley, Mass.) also scored in double digits for Salve Regina with 13 points.
• Both teams had 10 assists apiece; Sam O'Keefe (Allentown, Pa.) led all players with four assists.
• In addition to Eckhardt, Kate Goodell (Shaftsbury, Vt.), LaKissa Martin (Las Vegas, Nev.), and O'Keefe each had more rebounds than Salve Regina's team leader (Esielionis with five) with nine, seven, and six, respectively.
• The negative-23 rebound margin for the Seahawks was the largest deficit of the season; Salve Regina had a plus-24 in a win over Wentworth Institute of Technology earlier this month.
• Martin had 13 points and Krumbhaar finished with 12 for the Engineers.
• All nine Seahawks playing in today's game committed at least one personal foul (20 team fouls).

Next Up
Salve Regina (5-4) returns to Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) play when it hosts Curry College on Thursday, January 4, at 5 p.m. in the first of a women's and men's doubleheader. Rensselaer (6-3) returns to Liberty League action when it hosts Skidmore College on Friday, January 5.