PENSACOLA, Fla. – In a tightly contested battle throughout, the Valdosta State women's basketball team pulled within 65-64 in the final minute, but came up just short in a 69-64 loss to No. 9 Eckerd College in the season-opener for both teams.  VSU had three players in double figures led by 14 points and nine rebounds from junior Kalifa Ford.  Eckerd's Bella Green had 18 points off the bench on 7 of 10 from the field also leading three players in double figures.
 
VSU shot 22 of 56 from the field, while going 7 of 18 from deep and 13 of 19 from the line.  Eckerd was 24 of 57 from the field, 6 of 24 from range and 15 of 25 from the charity stripe.  VSU roared back from down 38-30 with 4:55 left in the third to take a 54-48 lead with 5:40 left in the game. 
 
Turnovers proved costly for VSU in the game as the Lady Blazers committed 26 miscues leading to 28 points off the turnovers by the Tritons, while VSU forced EC into 15 turnovers for 15 points off the miscues.  VSU dominated the glass, outrebounding Eckerd 43-33 and 14-8 on the offensive end.
 
Eckerd's Martyna Kowalska made two free throws to tie the game at 55 with 3:54 left, erasing the 54-48 lead VSU was enjoying with 5:40 to play.  Following an offensive foul on VSU, EC's Jessie Ford buried a triple for a 58-55 score for the lead for good.  Since the 5:40 mark with the six-point cushion, EC outscored VSU 21-10 the rest of the way. 
 
VSU fought valiantly down the stretch and closed to within four in the final minute on one of two free throws from senior Tamiya Franics with 41 scores left at 65-61.  Senior Emma Martin then buried a triple to pull within 65-64 with 37 seconds remaining as K. Ford grabbed a big offensive rebound of Francis' missed charity toss.  A foul on the ensuing possession put Lauryn Vieira at the line for two and a 67-64 lead.  Lady Blazer junior newcomer Courtney Stothard had a good look at a potential tying triple with 14 seconds left, but missed as Eckerd made two more free throws for the final margin. 
 
Along with Ford, Martin finished with 12 points on 4 of 6 from deep, while junior newcomer Victoria Ikenasio added 12 points on 5 of 8 shooting and two free throws.  Ford was a team-best 6 of 8 from the line in the game.  Kowalska had 13 points for the Tritons. 
 
VSU used an 8-2 run for a 12-6 lead with 3:27 left in the first and went on for a 16-12 opening quarter advantage.  The second quarter saw Ikenasio put VSU up 20-15 on a layup after a triple from Green in the first minute of the second frame.  Neither team gained much of an advantage the rest of the half as Eckerd held a 27-26 lead at the break. 
 
For the first half, VSU shot 10 of 26 from the field, while it was 1 of 7 from range and 5 of 8 from the line.  Eckerd shot 11 of 29 from the field, 3 of 12 from distance and 2 of 4 from the stripe.  EC held a 13-4 advantage in points off turnovers as VSU had 15 miscues in the opening half.
 
The Tritons raced out to an 11-4 run to start the second half capped with a triple from Vieira and a 38-30 lead with 4:55 left in the frame. After a stretch of no scoring, Ford hit a bucket off her own rebound and then Martin drained a triple pulling the Lady Blazers within three at 38-35 with 2:13 to play in the quarter.  Ikenasio hit two tosses for a tie game and Stothard buried a jumper giving VSU a 40-38 lead as the Lady Blazers closed the quarter on a 10-1 run.  In the fourth, senior Lili Long and Martin both drained triples for the 54-48 lead with 5:40 to go. 
 
VSU now has a quick turnaround as it battles Palm Beach Atlantic (1-0) on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET to conclude the first weekend in Pensacola.  PBA won 64-58 over West Florida in the first game of the day.  The game will be broadcast on FloSports.  Check back with vstateblazers.com for links to live stats and streaming of the game.