This Franklin Pierce University women's basketball recap is presented by Belletetes

RINDGE, N.H. (November 28, 2018) – Franklin Pierce University women's basketball freshman guard Lisa Sulejmani (Burlington, Vt.) scored a team-high 13 points during the Ravens 80-56 loss to no. 6 nationally-ranked and Northeast-10 Conference opponent Bentley University Wednesday evening at the Fieldhouse. With the win, the Falcons remain undefeated at 7-0, 3-0 NE10 while the Crimson and Grey are still in search for their first conference victory.

Sulejmani played a match-high 26 minutes off the bench connecting on 5-of-11 (45.4%) of her shot attempts to go along with a team-best four assists while snagging four boards. The newcomer was the only Raven to reach double figures.

Team captain Mya Mosley (Worcester, Mass.) dumped in nine markers, six rebounds, and one helper. Sophomore forward Freya Cooney (Woodbridge, England) snatched a career-high 11 rebounds for FPU with a game-high four caroms coming on the offensive end.

For the Falcons, sophomore guard Katie Meriggioli manufactured a game-best 17 points chipping in six rebounds and four dimes. Teammate Victoria Lux double-doubled with 11 markers and 12 rebounds.

Bentley dominated the low post as they scored half of their points (40) in the paint while the Ravens could only muster 12 points, however, the Raven reserves out produced the Falcon bench by a 35-to-25 margin. Both teams made the extra pass as Bentley had 23 assists on their 28 field goal conversions and the Ravens notched 13 helpers on their 19 makes.

The Falcons wasted no time building a double-digit edge starting the showdown on a 14-0 scoring run using two three-balls and five points via Meriggioli connections. Pierce freshman forward Izzy Lipinski (Farmington, Conn.) backed down her defender on the left block and used a fadeaway jumper to halt the guest opening spurt. FPU trailed 14-2 at the 7:07 mark in the first quarter.

A scoring drought ensued until sophomore guard Hannah Everidge (Baldwinville, Mass.) knocked down a trifecta from the top of the point assisted by Sulejmani to make the score 14-5 with 4:54 remaining. Koleen Bouchard split a pair of freebies to reestablish the double-digit edge for the Falcons. FPU made a run when Sulejmani hit on two consecutive jumpers, freshman guard Rylee Skinner (Leominster, Mass.) stole the ball away, which led to a Demi Akins (Cambridge, Mass.) wing long-range stroke to bring the Ravens within two possessions at 17-12. Trailing by 11 and holding for the last shot, the Ravens designed halfcourt set play was snuffed out, Sulejmani held the rock with under three seconds to go and lofted a running three-pointer at the top of the key to pull the deficit at 23-15 after one quarter.

In the second quarter, the Falcons grew the lead back up to 14, 31-17 again via a Meriggioli and1. Sophomore guard Sophia Holmes (Oakland, Maine) responded a couple minutes later draining a three and freshman forward Emma Carter (Bristol, Vt.) punched in a baseline jumper to bring the score to 31-22 halfway through the period. Bentley regained the 14 point cushion, but Mosley rifled home back-to-back long range connections with one coming off an inbound play to keep the Ravens close, 36-28. An Amy McConnell three-ball and two Maddy Springfield free throw conversions put Bentley ahead 41-28 at halftime.

Bentley pulled away from FPU in the third quarter by going on a 17-5 spurt capped off by a Megan Lewis hoop and harm to lead by 25, 58-33. The Ravens came within 20 points late in the fourth quarter when Skinner drained two free throws.

The Ravens remain at home on Saturday when they take on conference foe and no. 23 nationally-ranked Stonehill College at 1:30 p.m.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens ), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce women's basketball apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store). You can also follow the women's basketball team on Twitter (https://twitter.com/FPURavensWBB) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/franklin_pierce_wbb/).