QUINCY, Mass.- In an inter-conference showdown between two league-leading teams, the Eastern Nazarene College women's basketball team dropped a 67-42 decision to Suffolk Saturday afternoon at the Lahue Physical Education Center.

The NECC-leading Lions move to 16-3 on the season with the setback. The Rams, the current Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) frontrunners, improve to 15-6 overall with the result.

Janeth Cruz (Reseda, Calif.) netted 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds off the bench. Jenn Burnham (West Valley City, Utah) tallied 11 points and Nahatabaa Nacona (Chinle, Ariz.) added six points in the game. Seniesha Sekaquaptewa (Second Mesa, Ariz.) finished with five boards and four points while Sydni Oviatt (Fruit Heights, Utah) contributed with five rebounds and three points.

The visitors constructed a nine-point advantage with 3:53 remaining in the first quarter, 17-8, as Allie Lopes tossed in a layup to cap a 9-0 run.

Suffolk seized a double-digit lead with 1:36 left in the opening frame on a layup by Jenni-Rose DiCecco, 23-12.

The home side trailed 25-15 through 10 minutes of action.

Eastern Nazarene managed just five points in the second period as Nacona canned a trey and tacked on a free throw while Burnham converted one free throw attempt. The Rams poured in 18 second-quarter points to stretch their lead to 43-20 at the break.

Eastern Nazarene mustered a field-goal percentage of 17.6% in the first half after connecting on just 6-of-34 attempts to go with a 3-for-12 effort from beyond the arc. Suffolk shot 50% from the floor and 36.4% from the perimeter in the opening two quarters.

Nacona paced the Lions at the intermission with six points and four boards while Oviatt chipped in with five rebounds and three points in the opening half.

The visitors outscored the hosts 13-7 in the third quarter to hold a 29-point advantage heading to the fourth, 56-27.

Eastern Nazarene chalked up 15 points in the final frame while Suffolk netted 11 to secure its fourth-straight victory.

The Lions were limited to 19.7% shooting from the floor and 14.3% from behind the arc on the day. The Rams concluded the contest with a field-goal percentage of 50% to go while draining 4-of-16 from three-point range.

DiCecco paced Suffolk with 14 points, six rebounds, three assists, and a pair of steals while Lopes registered 12 points.

Up next, Eastern Nazarene treks to Bay Path in the final road contest of the regular season February 11.

"DONAT3" UPDATE
Donated Amount: $1,611
Three-pointers Made: 117