MANCHESTER, N.H. – Fourth-seeded Jefferson University limited fifth-seeded Bentley University to only 18 second-half points, including just seven in the fourth, and held on for a 50-47 win in the first round of the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball East Regional Friday night at Southern New Hampshire University's Stan Spirou Fieldhouse.

Bentley's defense in a game that featured ten lead changes and six times was nearly as impressive, with Falcons limiting the Rams to only 10 points in both the third and fourth stanzas.

The Falcons, who had won a season-high five consecutive games, took their biggest lead of the night with just under two minutes remaining in the third with a straightaway three-ball from junior guard Ella Thompson (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove HS) making 40-36.

Jefferson answered with a 12-3 run to make it 48-43 with just under four to play. Six of those were scored by sophomore guard Morgan Robinson (Swedesboro, N.J.), with a free throw, a traditional three-point play and a jumper in the paint. Bentley's only scoring during that eight-minute span was a three-pointer by senior guard Kolleen Bouchard (Houlton, Maine/Houlton HS).

It remained 48-43 until the final minute when the Falcons staged a valiant comeback bid. Graduate forward Autumn Ceppi (Bedford, Mass./Dana Hall School) came up with a steal and took it in for a three-point play. Freshman guard Amanda Kabantu (Portland, Maine/Portland HS) made another steal and Ceppi went to the line for two with 8.6 seconds left. She made the first to make it a one-point game but missed the second with the rebound going to Jefferson.

Sophomore forward Haily Meinel (Warrington, Pa.), the game's top scorer with 18 points, was fouled with 4.3 seconds to play. She sank both from the stripe, pushing the differential back to three. After a timeout and the advance of the ball to the frontcourt, the ball was inbounded to Thompson, but her off-balance three was off the mark, ending a 19-9 season for C White and her team.

Offense was much more plentiful in the first half with the two teams separated by a single point at the break with the Rams on top 30-29. The lead has been as many as ten, 28-18, before the Falcons battled back with an 11-2 run over the final 4:25 minutes. The surge began with Thompson draining a left-wing three to beat the shot clock and included four free throws and a drawn charge by Bouchard.

Sophomore guard Maggie Whitmore (South Portland, Maine/South Portland HS) carried the offensive load for the Falcons in the first half with ten points in the first quarter and another bucket in the opening minute of the second. She made five of six shots, including two from downtown, before sitting the final five minutes with two fouls.

For the game, Whitmore had 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals

Ceppi, in her final collegiate game, stuffed the shat sheet in numerous categories as she finished with 10 points, six rebounds, five steals, four assists and two blocks. Bentley also received eight points from Thompson and seven off the bench from Bouchard,

Meinel played all 40 for Jefferson (23-8) and had four steals in addition to the 18 points. Robinson put up a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds.

Bentley finished with a .333 field goal percentage, including 7 of 24 from deep, while Jefferson's .353 included three of ten from three. Free throws also favored the Rams, 11-6 in makes and 13-9 in attempts.

Jefferson also had the edge in rebounds (38-32), turnovers (15-17) and points in the paint (22-14). Second-chance points was a plus for the Falcons, 12-8.

In Saturday's semifinals, Jefferson will take on eighth-seeded Daemen and third-seeded USciences will face number seven Pace.