FLORIDA TECH WOMENS BASKETBALL HARPOONS SHARKS 77-70 ON ROAD

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Junior Kristen Heminger (Merritt Island, Fla.) scored 21 points and senior Jennifer Tamilio (Boston, Mass.) added 20 to lead the
Florida Tech women’s basketball team to a 77-70 victory over host Nova Southeastern University Sunday afternoon in NSU’s brand new University Center.

The Panthers scored the first five points of the game, before extending the lead to six points, 12-6, just four minutes into the contest. The Sharks would
heat up, rattling off an 11-0 run over the next three minutes to take the lead and pull ahead by a 20-14 count. Despite Nova Southeastern extending its
first-half lead to as many as seven points, Tech managed to tie the game on two separate occasions later in the period, but could not regain the lead prior
to the break. Despite a solid 48% (12-of-25) shooting effort by Florida Tech (2-1) in the first half, Nova Southeastern shot 61% (14-of-23) from the field
in the opening 20 minutes to claim a 38-35 halftime lead.

In the second half, NSU began with an 8-2 run to extend its lead to nine points, the Sharks’ biggest lead of the game, 46-37, five minutes into the second
half. At that point, the Panthers would heat up, stringing together a 13-2 run which saw them take a 50-48 lead on a Danielle Vaughn (Sr., Tallahassee,
Fla.) jumper with 11 minutes to play.

NSU would pull even twice, but a three pointer by senior Kristi Harrell (Melbourne, Fla.) at the 8:56 mark gave Tech a 55-52 lead. The Panthers would not
look back. Down the stretch, Florida Tech would open up its lead to as many as nine points, eventually settling for the seven-point victory.

The Panthers shot 50% (13-of-26) in the second half, while limiting Nova Southeastern to just nine field goals on 36% (9-of-25) in the final period.

For the game, Nova Southeastern (0-2) registered a 34-22 edge in rebounds, but the Panthers managed to force 24 turnovers, while committing just 17.

Vaughn added 10 points, while junior Tenisha Chase (Upper Marlboro, Md.) scored nine points to help lead the visiting Panthers. Mechelle Jones scored a
team-high 18 points to lead a quartet of Nova Southeastern who scored in double-digits.

Florida Tech will return to action on Wednesday, when they travel to West Palm Beach for a matchup with Palm Beach Atlantic at 5:30 p.m. Tech defeated the
Sailfish 64-55 in the season opener last Wednesday in Melbourne.