Nov. 8, 2006

Box Score

PRINCESS ANNE, MD - The Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) women's basketball team cruised to a 75-34 victory over Salisbury University (SU) in exhibition play on Wednesday at the Hytche Center.

The exhibition was the first meeting between the two programs in 16 seasons, with the last contest occurring during the 1990-91 season.

"The reason why we decided to play is because I really believe in what Fred Batchelor is doing with the program," said Salisbury Head Coach Bridget Benshetler. "I believe in his values and how he coaches, he has done a great job with the program."

UMES was led by two players in double figures, with junior Kristi Veltkamp (Hudsonville, Mich./Lansing Home School) scoring a game-high 17 points on 8-11 shooting and senior Natalia Benton (Brooklyn, N.Y./Monroe C.C.) collecting 11 points. April McBride (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle H.S.) pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds while Veltkamp and Candyce Jeter (Baltimore, Md./Milford Mill Academy) each finished with a game-high four steals.

Jelila Abdul-Bassit (Anchorage, Alaska/Monroe C.C.) and Brittany Adkins (Millsboro, Del./Sussex Tech) chipped in with nine points each.

Salisbury got a team high seven points from Jessica Mills. Jenna Peters and Jenay Johnson had six rebounds each to pace the Sea Gulls.

The Lady Hawks outrebounded Salisbury 53-30 and forced 36 SU turnovers. The maroon and gray also held the Sea Gulls to 24% field-goal shooting and held a 40-10 scoring advantage over SU in the paint.

UMES missed 10 of 18 shots to open the game with Salisbury keeping the contest close in the opening minutes of the first half. The Lady Hawks got things going midway through the period when a Veltkamp layup at 10:10 spurred a 15-4 run over the next five minutes. Jeter's basket at 5:05 gave the maroon and gray a 20-point lead, their largest of the half.

Veltkamp (nine points, three steals,) and Abdul-Bassit (nine points, three rebounds) led the Lady Hawks to a 37-18 halftime lead.

Jessica Mills' jumper at 15:54 in the second half closed the Sea Gulls within sixteen points of the UMES lead at 43-25. The maroon and gray outscored SU 17-1 over the next seven minutes until a pair of free-throws by Mills ended the Salisbury scoring drought at 60-29. The Lady Hawks held the Sea Gulls scoreless for the final 1:34 to claim the 75-34 exhibition victory.

"We have things to work on, but I'm happy with the effort," said Batchelor. "It was good to have the girls play together and build up the team chemistry."

UMES opens their season on Saturday, November 11 with a non-conference road decision against St. Francis (PA).