Florida Tech Notches First SSC Win Defeating Eckerd 62-53
MELBOURNE, Fla. (women’s basketball) — Freshman forward Lindsay Greene (Stallings, N.C.) came off the bench to score 10 points shooting flawlessly from the
field (4-for-4) to help propel the Panthers to their first Sunshine State Conference win 62-53. The Florida Tech Panthers outshot the Eckerd College
Tritons 45.3% to 33.3% from the field today in the conference season opener at the Clemente Center.
Despite getting outhustled under the boards by eight rebounds, 37 to 29, Tech was able to make 36 of their points in the paint shutting down Eckerd to only
20 points inside. Defensively, the Panthers were able hold the 2006 SSC Freshman-of-the-Year Gabby Gattuso (Largo, Fla.) to only 14 points and five
rebounds for the game.
Crimson and Gray senior hoopsters Danielle Vaughn (Tallahassee, Fla.) and Jen Tamilio (Boston, Mass.) combined for 28 points with each Panther scoring in
double figures. Vaughn led all players with 13 points and chipped in four rebounds, two assists and two steals. Tamilio added two rebounds, three assists,
two steals and one block.
The Panthers had the lead heading into the locker room at 25-18 with both Vaughn and Gabby Gattuso scoring eight points in the first period. Eckerd came
out of the gate strong in the first 10 minutes of play with Gabby Gattuso hitting the first basket of the game. Junior Kristin Heminger (Merritt Island,
Fla.) answered back tying it two all to start the ball rolling. Gabby Gattuso, again, hit two more at the 15-minute mark to help the Tritons take the lead
by four.
Tech finally grabbed the lead at 10:48 on the clock when Tech’s Greene hit a lay-up off an inside pass by junior Amanda Muns (Chico, Tex.) to go up by two
points. Greene, who also pulled the foul, converted the jumper to three point gain 16-to-13.
Tech managed to pull off their highest lead in the first half at 2:42 on the clock with senior Tamilio hitting a fast break jumper off a steal by teammate
Muns.
The Panthers came out in the second half on fire with a seven-point advantage and never again relinquished the lead back to Eckerd the entire final period
of play. At one point, Tech pulled off a 21-point lead after a seven point run. At 14:33, Greene sunk a lay-up off an inside pass by junior Tenisha Chase
(Upper Marlboro, Md.).
Eckerd’s Tameron Armbrister (Plantation, Fla.) answered back with the same play notching the Tritons’ 22nd point. Freshman guard Laticia Rolle (Gardner,
Mass.) recorded the assist. Rolle would be the only Triton to shoot a perfect 6-for-6 from the line picking up her only points at the charity stripe.
Senior Shanté Johnson (Orlando, Fla.) pulled off another three-point conversion after a successful bucket and trip to the line. This was the start of a
seven point run by the Panthers. With Greene and Chase combining with Johnson to the 43-22 on the board in Florida Tech’s favor.
Gabby Gattuso would then score Eckerd’s next three baskets to break up Tech’s scoring rally. Gattuso’s freshman sister Mo Gattuso (Largo, Fla.) would then
notch Eckerd’s 30th point after her teammate and sister brought it within t13 points.
Tech’s highlighted player of the game McKena Richardson (Quartz Hill, Fla.) finished up the Panthers shooting at 9:42 for another two minutes after a steal
and drive to the basket for the reply.
Eckerd gained some ground in the final 10 minutes bringing the lead to only 11 after some key free throws by Samantha Infantino (Wellington, Fla.) and
Rolle.
The score would bounce back to a 20-point lead after Tamilio and Vaughn sunk baskets for Tech. The score would wobble back to an 11-point lead at 2:31 on
the clock. Junior forward Kassie Crimi (Jordan, Mass.) would go to the line along with Tamilio to finish off Tech’s score.
Eckerd’s Infantino would hit two three-pointers at the end for a last ditch effort on the part of the blue and teal opponents. Infantino finished with 12
points.
Seniors Kristi Harrell (Melbourne, Fla.) and Vaughn would lead their team defensively with four boards apiece. Eckerd’s Mo Gattuso led all players pulling
down six rebounds for the conference game.
The Panthers advanced to 7-1 on the season and 1-0 in the SSC while Eckerd falls to 4-2 overall and 0-1 in the conference. Florida Tech will take two weeks
off for exams and be back in action on December 19 when they will travel north facing Armstrong Atlantic at a 2:00 p.m. tip-off in Savannah, Ga.
Newspaper Box Score
Eckerd College vs Florida Tech
12/2/06 2:00 pm at Clemente Center
FLORIDA TECH 62, ECKERD COLLEGE 53
ECKERD COLLEGE (4-2, 0-1)
GATTUSO, Gabby 7-11 0-1 14; INFANTINO, Samantha 2-7 7-8 12; ARMBRISTER,
Tameron 3-5 0-0 6; ROLLE, Laticia 0-2 6-6 6; TRETTEVIK, Ryan 2-3 1-1 6;
GRACE, Stephanie 2-7 0-0 6; GATTUSO, Mo 1-11 1-4 3; MASSEY, Jamie 0-1 0-0 0;
MOORE, Kristi 0-3 0-0 0; GAVIN, K.C. 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 17-51 15-20 53.
FLORIDA TECH (7-1, 1-0)
VAUGHN, Danielle 7-12 0-0 15; TAMILIO, Jennifer 5-10 2-3 13; GREENE, Lindsay
4-4 2-3 10; HEMINGER, Kristin 3-10 0-0 7; JOHNSON, Shante 1-2 2-3 4; CRIMI,
Kassi 1-3 2-2 4; MUNS, Amanda 1-3 0-0 3; CHASE, Tenisha 0-3 2-6 2;
RICHARDSON, McKena 1-3 0-0 2; FEQUIERE, Danise 1-1 0-0 2; JONES, Sabrina 0-0
0-0 0; HARRELL, Kristi 0-2 0-0 0; McCARTNEY, Megan 0-0 0-2 0. Totals 24-53
10-19 62.
Eckerd College……………. 18 35 – 53
Florida Tech……………… 25 37 – 62
3-point goals–Eckerd College 4-13 (GRACE, Stephanie 2-4; TRETTEVIK, Ryan
1-1; INFANTINO, Samantha 1-2; GATTUSO, Mo 0-2; MASSEY, Jamie 0-1; MOORE,
Kristi 0-1; ROLLE, Laticia 0-2), Florida Tech 4-13 (TAMILIO, Jennifer 1-3;
MUNS, Amanda 1-3; VAUGHN, Danielle 1-2; HEMINGER, Kristin 1-4; HARRELL,
Kristi 0-1). Fouled out–Eckerd College-None, Florida Tech-None.
Rebounds–Eckerd College 37 (GATTUSO, Mo 6), Florida Tech 29 (VAUGHN,
Danielle 4; HARRELL, Kristi 4). Assists–Eckerd College 13 (INFANTINO,
Samantha 4; MOORE, Kristi 4), Florida Tech 17 (CHASE, Tenisha 6). Total
fouls–Eckerd College 15, Florida Tech 18. Technical fouls–Eckerd
College-None, Florida Tech-None. A-410
