Box Score WASHINGTON – Kaitlyn Lewis scored nine of her 15 points in the first quarter, leading the Eagles to a 30-point opening period, and American went on to a 70-53 victory over UMBC in a non-conference women's basketball game Wednesday night at Bender Arena.
The win snapped a four-game losing streak for the Eagles, who improved to 2-4. The Retrievers fell to 2-4 overall.
Emily Kinneston finished with 16 points to lead AU, while
Cecily Carl added a dozen. Lewis, who finished 5-for-5 from 3-point range, also had six assists and five rebounds.
Tyler Moore finished with 17 points to lead UMBC, with Pandora Wilson chipping in 11 points and Te'yjah Oliver scoring 10 off the bench.
AU used a 16-3 run midway through the opening quarter to take a 20-8 lead. The Eagles scored the final eight points of the period to lead 30-14 at the buzzer. The Eagles shot 61 percent in the quarter and hit 4 of 5 behind the arc.
UMBC pulled within 44-30 at halftime, getting 11 first-half points from Moore.
American stretched its lead to 62-40 late in the third quarter and the Retrievers were never able to pull closer than the 17-point final margin.
The Eagles played strong defense, getting 23 points on 18 UMBC turnovers. The Eagles had 13 steals combined, including at least one by eight different players and three from
Elina Koskimies.
American continues its three-game homestand on Saturday when it plays host to William & Mary at 2:00. The Eagles play next Wednesday evening against crosstown-rival George Washington.
