WILLIMANTIC, Conn. -Senior guard Kathy Shaw (Tolland, Conn.) came off the bench to hit two three-pointers and senior forward Stephanie Smith (Penacook, N.H.) added five points to spark a 18-4 run midway through the first half Saturday afternoon that vaulted the Eastern Connecticut State University women's basketball team to an 80-57 Little East Conference victory over Plymouth State University at Francis E. Geissler Gymnasium.

           Eastern (15-2, 5-2 Little East) recorded its 11th straight victory over Plymouth State (8-9, 2-5 Little East). The Warriors broke open a tight first half with an 18-4 run over six minutes that lifted them to an 11-point, 28-17 lead.  Eastern went on to lead by 19 points at halftime (45-26) and maintained a 20-30 point lead throughout the second half.

           Junior center Ashley McFetridge (Canton, Conn.) of Eastern led both teams with 20 points, with Smith adding 13 points and eight rebounds and freshman guard Jessica Moriarty (East Haven, Conn.) chipping in eight points and a career-high 11 rebounds. Junior guard Christina Amato (Marlboro, Mass,) tied her career-high with nine rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench.

           Sophomore forward Karly Gray (Southampton, Mass.) scored 16 points and freshman forward Amanda Kania (Manchester, NH) 12 for Plymouth State.

           Both teams are back in action Tuesday at 5:30 p.m., Eastern entertaining Keene State College and PSU hosting LEC-leading Southern Maine.

(Courtesy of Eastern Connecticut Sports Information)

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