LAKE WALES, Fla. – In their second meeting of the season, Southeastern University women's basketball team defeated Warner University 64-50 on Saturday afternoon in the Turner Athletic Center. The Fire sweep the season series from the Lady Royals having won the first meeting back on Dec. 13 83-67. The loss drops the Lady Royals to 5-14 on the year and moves them to 1-9 in The Sun Conference. The Fire stay in the hunt for a conference title with a 9-2 mark in league play and an 18-5 overall record.
Eliana Albert put Warner out in front for the first time in the first half with a bucket and the foul at the 16:13 mark. Seven minutes later the Lady Royals held a six point lead, 22-16, after
Marie Fleurival scored a basket in the paint.
The Fire responded with an 11-2 lead over the next two minutes and retook the lead 27-24 with 7:16 to go in the half. The run did not stop there for the Fire, however. The visitors ended the half with a 21-7 run over the final nine minutes and led 40-31 at halftime.
Albert and
I'munique Green led the Warner scoring attack in the first half with seven points each.
The Fire ran their lead to 16 points to start the second half thanks to a 9-2 run. The Lady Royals struggled coming out of the break with one field goal in the first five minutes of the half. The Fire led by 20 points, 55-35, at the 13:30 mark and maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way.
The Lady Royals got to within 11 points with 3:57 left in regulation but scored just one point the rest of the way.
After 43.3% shooting in the first half, the Lady Royals connected on just 8-of-30 (26.7%) shots from the field in the second half and were 0-for-7 from behind the arc.
Leilani Tuani-Fifita led the Lady Royals with 10 points and nine rebounds all off the bench. She also had two blocked shots and a steal in the loss.
Baylie Bridges had four assists to go along with seven points.
Next week the Lady Royals take to the road on Tuesday, Feb. 3, for a rematch with St. Thomas University. The Sun Conference match up will tip-off at 6 p.m. from the Fernandez Family Center.
