EASTON, Mass. – Graduate forward Autumn Ceppi (Bedford/Dana Hall School) led a balanced attack with 11 points and four others scored either nine or ten as Bentley University, number 16 in this week's WBCA Division II coaches poll, took down Stonehill College, 62-51, in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball at Merkert Gymnasium Tuesday evening.

Bentley improved to 3-0 overall and 2-0 NE10 after limiting the Skyhawks to 29 percent shooting overall and just 1 of 25 from three-point territory. Stonehill, ranked in the top 25 preseason, dropped to 0-2 with its second straight conference loss.

With points at a premium much of the night, Bentley took the lead for good when Ceppi broke a 31-all deadlock with a three-point play with 4:40 left in the third. That ignited a 6-0 spurt that also included a fast-break lay-up by sophomore guard Janessa Gonzalez (Meriden, Conn./St. Paul Catholic HS) and one of two free throws from sophomore guard Maggie Whitmore (South Portland, Maine/South Portland HS).

Freshman forward Kylie DuCharme (Wilmington/Wilmington HS) played a key role in a third quarter that saw Bentley outscore the home team 19-13 to go up four, 39-35. She scored seven points in a span of 77 seconds with a three-pointer, a lay-up and a second-chance basket, and also had four offensive rebounds.

  The Falcons extended the lead to nine, 48-39, with a 9-4 run to start the fourth quarter. Senior guard Kari Brekke (Appleton, Wis./Appleton North HS) had a jumper in the paint, Ceppi had a turn-around inside, junior guard Ella Thompson (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove HS) hit an elbow jumper and Whitmore drained a three from the left corner.

After the Skyhawks pulled within five with 3:51 to play, Bentley closed with a 12-6 run, including eight of 12 free throws in the final 70 seconds. Senior guard Kolleen Bouchard (Houlton, Maine/ Houlton HS) attempted half of those from the line and made four.

Ceppi finished with six rebounds, two blocks, two assists and a team-best plus-17. Whitmore followed with ten, and Thompson, Bouchard and DuCharme each had nine.

The game's high scorer was Stonehill senior guard Emily Bramanti (Chelmsford) with 18, although it took her 18 shots, including 1 of 11 from deep, and six free throws to get that many.

Bentley didn't shoot much better than the Skyhawks, finishing at .365 overall and three of 18 from downtown. Stonehill had the rebound advantage, 47-43, while the Falcons took care of the ball with only 11 turnovers.

This weekend, Bentley will be in the Valdosta State Thanksgiving Classic for games against Eckerd College Friday and Valdosta State Saturday.