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GLASSBORO, N.J. – The No. 4/4 Amherst College women's basketball team posted an 65-47 victory over Eastern Connecticut State University (ECSU) in Friday afternoon's NCAA Division III First Round contest at ESBY Gymnasium on the campus of Rowan University in Glassboro, N.J.

With the win, Amherst (27-1) advances to the NCAA Second Round against the winner of host Rowan (22-5) and SUNY New Paltz (21-6) Saturday evening at 7 p.m. at ESBY Gym. ECSU closes its 2015-16 campaign with an overall record of 22-7. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Holding an eight-point lead heading into the second quarter, Amherst exploded for 22 points to head into the locker room at halftime with a 40-20 advantage. The sides were evenly matched in the second half, with the Warriors narrowly edging the Purple & White, 27-25.
• Hannah Hackley '18 led all players with 18 points on 9-13 shooting from the floor, including 2-3 from three-point range, in addition to racking up a block and a steal.  
• Meredith Doswell '18 was a force on both side of the court for the Purple & White, notching 12 points and pulling down 10 rebounds to earn a double-double.
• The Warriors were led by a 14-point effort by Erin Brooks. ESCU was held to 47 points on 14-45 shooting (31.%), and were just 3-for-10 on three-point attempts (30.0%).

FIRST HALF HIGHLIGHTS

• With Amherst holding a slight 9-5 lead after the first six minutes of action, the Purple & White used a 5-0 run to close out the first stanza with an 18-10 advantage following a Hackley layup.
• Hackley opened up scoring in the second quarter with back-to-back free throws before Cheyenne Pritchard '16 nailed a three-pointer to put the Purple & White up 23-10 at the 9:01 mark.
• After a bucket by Jill Ritrosky pulled the Warriors within 12 with 7:35 to play in the second stanza, Amherst continued to drive ahead using a 14-6 run to close out the half with a 20-point cushion.

SECOND HALF HIGHLIGHTS

• Victoria Pfohl drained two three-pointers and a layup as ECSU opened the third stanza with a 12-4 run over the course the first six minutes to bring the Warriors deficit to 12 (44-32).
• Amherst returned to form after a Warrior timeout at the 4:46 mark, as Haley Zwecker '16, Doswell, and Jaimie Renner '17 combined for nine unanswered points to stretch the Purple & White's lead to 21 (53-32).
• Ritrosky and Brooks each knocked down a jumper for the Warriors prior to the end of the third period, as Amherst entered the final quarter of action with a 56-36 advantage.
• In the fourth, the Purple & White scored 12 of 23 total points to claim the victory, 65-47. 

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Friday's victory for Amherst improves the team's overall NCAA postseason record to 30-10 dating back to their first national playoff appearance in 2008.
• The win is the Purple & White's second of the season over ECSU, as Amherst defeated the Warriors, 63-46 on Dec. 3, 2015 in Willimantic, Conn. earlier this season.
• The Purple & White have now advanced to the NCAA Second Round in nine consecutive seasons under the direction of ninth-year head coach G.P. Gromacki.