Box Score HARTFORD, Conn. – Junior guard Kristina Forsman (Newington) and sophomore guard Brianna Leonard (Amherst, MA) combined for nine points in a 12-3 run early in the second half that helped the Eastern Connecticut State University women's basketball wipe out an eight–point deficit on the way to a 79-71 victory over Trinity College Thursday night at the Ray Oosting Gymnasium at the Ferris Athletic Center.
At right: Jill Ritrosky got Eastern off on the right foot Thursday, scoring six of the team's first eight points.
In the first meeting between the programs in 20 years, Eastern (3-1) shot 74.2 percent from the foul line (23-for-31) and 47.4 percent from the floor, and turned the ball over only seven times -- half their previous season low this year -- to spoil Trinity's (1-2) home-opener. Eastern was sharp despite playing its fourth game in the first six days of the season.
A free throw by freshman Jordyn Nappi (Southington) -- which was set up thanks to a steal by junior guard Taylor McBride (Willimantic) -- capped the 12-3 run in that four-minute span early in the second half and the Warriors never trailed thereafter. With the score tied moments later, McBride corralled a loose ball and got it to sophomore post player Erin Brooks (Billerica, MA) to make it 52-50, and junior forward Shannon McCourt (New Fairfield) followed with a baseline drive following a Trinity miss to make it 54-50 midway through the second half.
With just under nine minutes left, Nappi connected on both ends of a one-and-one free throw opportunity and McBride hit a driving layup off a steal by Forsman. Those points gave the Warriors a six-point, 62-56 lead, and Trinity was never able to get closer than four the rest of the way.
Sophomore forward Jill Ritrosky (Pittsfield, MA), Forsman and Leonard combined for 52 of the team's point total. Ritrosky (8-for-14) led all Eastern players with 20 points and shared game-high rebounding honors with seven. Forsman (7-for-15) had 17 points and seven assists in 39 minutes and recorded the Warriors' only two three-point field goals. Leonard (5-for-8) added 15 points.
At left: Brianna Leonard
Although Eastern would later trail by as many as six points in the final six minutes of the first half, Ritrosky gave her team an early boost by scoring six of its first eight points, all three hoops coming in the paint. Forsman's three-pointer seven minutes into the game broke a tie and the Warriors turned to steady free throw shooting to score 11 of their 18 points in one stretch of 6+ minutes.
McBride and Brooks came off the bench to make valuable contributions in a total of 46 minutes. McBride had four points, four assists and three steals. Brooks added eight points, six of them coming on as many free throw attempts.
Leonard and Nappi were both 5-for-6 from the stripe, Ritrosky 4-for-6 as Eastern won for the 11th time in this 12-game series. Balance continues to be an Eastern asset, as Ritrosky became the fourth different player in four games to lead the team in scoring and the fourth different player to lead or share the team lead in rebounding.
Trinity, which started four seniors, got 21 points (8-for-10 from the floor) and seven rebounds from senior Shantel Hanniford, senior Taylor Murtaugh contributing 17 points. Junior Taylor Higgins came off the bench for 16 points in 30 minutes, but was the Bantams' only sub to add a point.
Eastern visits No. 6 nationally-ranked Williams College Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.
