AVE MARIA, Fla. -- No. 25 Southeastern turned in a complete road performance on Wednesday evening, pulling away for a 67–47 win over Ave Maria at the Tom Golisano Field House to remain tied atop the Sun Conference race.
SEU set the tone early, opening the game on a 16–4 first-quarter run fueled by defensive pressure and efficient play in the paint. The Fire forced eight turnovers in the opening ten minutes and converted them into early transition opportunities, never allowing Ave Maria to find offensive rhythm.
Grace Field anchored the early surge with strong interior play and relentless defensive activity as SEU built a double-digit cushion.
Field continued her steady production throughout the night, recording her ninth double-double of the season with 19 points and 10 rebounds. She added three assists, seven steals, and one block, consistently impacting the game on both ends of the floor and setting the tone defensively.
Mya Herman provided a balanced scoring presence as well, finishing with 17 points on 8-of-16 shooting while helping push the tempo offensively.
Southeastern carried a 30–15 advantage into halftime and weathered a brief third-quarter push from the Gyrenes, who trimmed the margin to single digits midway through the period. Each time Ave Maria threatened, the Fire answered.
Ellah Kissell delivered one of the game's most decisive stretches, knocking down four three-pointers on her way to a season-high 12 points off the bench. Her perimeter shooting sparked an 18-point third quarter that allowed SEU to regain full control.
Kristiana Kulackovska chipped in 11 points on efficient shooting, while
Mafalda Chambel facilitated the offense with five assists and steady ball control. Defensively, Southeastern was relentless throughout the night, forcing 30 turnovers and converting them into 34 points, a decisive edge that separated the teams. The Fire also controlled the interior, outscoring Ave Maria in the paint and limiting second-chance opportunities.
Southeastern closed the game with a composed fourth quarter, stretching the lead to as many as 20 while holding Ave Maria to 47 points on 36 percent shooting. The Fire's defensive intensity and balanced scoring effort highlighted another strong conference performance on the road.
With the victory, Southeastern improves to 17-3 overall and 7-1 in Sun Conference play, remaining tied atop the league standings with St. Thomas. The Fire return home this weekend to continue conference action, hosting Florida Memorial on Saturday, January 24, at 2 p.m. inside The Furnace.
