Women's basketball team opens conference season with a win
The Eastern Florida State College women's basketball team opened the Central Conference with a big win Wednesday night at Titan Field House.
The Titans defeated Santa Fe College 74-36 to improve to 14-3 overall and 1-0 in the conference. The 25th-ranked Titans are off to their best start under head coach MJ Baker and defeated the Saints for the fifth straight time.
"Starting the conference 1-0 is a big step for us, especially after protecting our home court. We have been on the road for the last two months has helped us," Eastern Florida State College women's basketball coach MJ Baker said.
After an even start to the game, freshman guard Tatiana Beaumont hit three straight 3-pointers to give the Titans a 13-5 lead.
Eastern Florida State College would extend the lead to 15, 35-20 at halftime. The Titans would hold Santa Fe to six points in the third quarter, extending the lead to 25 points.
The win was the second straight 35-plus point win and seventh time the Titans have won by at least 20 points the season.
Freshman Rapuluchi Ngorka had a big night in a battle of inside players with Santa Fe's Aleisha Curry. Ngorka dominated the boards, grabbing 17 rebounds to go with her team-high 18 points. It is the eighth time this season that the Madrid, Spain native has recorded a double-double.
"Favor (Ngorka) and Curry have been atop the rebounding statistics in the state all season and for Ngorka to have that kind of night against her, she is just a beast. It is sometimes quiet, but she is always working and marks every possession with her defense, her intensity and toughness."
Teammates Shadaria Smith and Tatiana Beaumont each finished with 11 points while Leilani Guion and Jillian Schenk each had 10 points in the win. For Schenk it was the most points she has scored as a Titan.
Eastern Florida State College will travel to Daytona State College on Saturday for a Central Conference matchup at 2 p.m. They will be back at Titan Field House Wednesday for a 5:30 p.m. game against St. Petersburg.
