BOX SCORE

MELBOURNE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University women’s basketball team (14-13) fell to Florida Tech (22-7) in the first round of the Sunshine State Conference Tournament, 64-52, Wednesday evening in the Clemente Center.

Five seniors will end their career leaving a mark on the NSU’s women’s basketball program.

Senior Abbie Tepe (Cincinnati, Ohio) is the new career leader in games played (115), assists (554) and steals (254). She also reached 1,000 points in her four year career at 1,032. She is third in rebounds and 3-point field goals made (119). With five free-throws in her final game, Tepe climbs to second with 325.

Senior Stephanie Sarosi (Mims, Fla.) will also leave a lasting impression on the program. In three years, the center has scored 1,655 points, grabbed 806 rebounds while topping the charts in blocked shots (266) and field goals made (683).

Senior Priscilla Perez (Miami, Fla.) played in 90 games over her four-year caeer, playing over 1200 minutes and recording 63 steals.

Senior Meloney Fosburgh (Phoenix, Ariz.) has fought through injuries to play in 49 games in three years. Senior Lauren Marshall (Gladstone, Mich.) hit a career-high 13 threes in her final season.

The Sharks outplayed Florida Tech in nearly every facet of the game but 27 turnovers was NSU’s downfall.

Sarosi scored a team-high 20 points and freshman Jasmine Wilkins (Miami, Fla.) added 11 points and a team-high eight rebounds.

Florida Tech was strong in the opening minutes taking a 6-1 lead. The Sharks bounced back and found its rhythm as eventually climbed back to take their first lead of the game at the 9:42 mark as Sarosi laid one in on the fast break.

As the Panthers went on a four-minute scoring drought, NSU took a five-point lead on another basket by Sarosi and two made free-throws by sophomore Sabrina Stambouli (Quebec, Canada).

Florida Tech closed the gap by converting their points at the charity strip, pulling with one with 1:45 left in the half, 24-23. The Panther’s were a perfect 7-7 from the free-throw line in the first half.

Sarosi swished one from behind the arc for her 15th point in the half, showing her versatility on the court.

The Sharks entered the locker room with a 27-25 advantage. NSU shot 46 percent (10-22) from the field compared to Tech’s 27 percent (9-33). Nova Southeastern outrebounded Florida Tech, 21-17 in the first 20 minutes buts NSU committed 14 turnovers.

In the second half, Florida Tech and Sharks battled back and forth in the first six minutes with neither team ahead by four.

At 12:12, the Panthers took a three-point lead and both teams slumped as neither team scored a basket the next three minutes. Florida Tech was the first to strike and extended its lead by eight on a three by the game’s leading scorer Lynisha Nelson.

From that point on, the Sharks never regained the lead, ending the 2010-11 season for Nova Southeastern.