BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Sophomore guard Katie Meriggioli (Waunakee, Wis./Edgewood HS) scored a career-high 26 points, including 13 in the second quarter alone, and collected seven rebounds as the Bentley University Falcons stayed unbeaten with an 83-48 win over the University of Bridgeport in non-conference women's basketball Saturday afternoon at Harvey Hubbell Gymnasium.

Meriggioli, whose previous high was 14, knocked down six of nine three balls, made two of three inside the arc and was perfect on her four attempts from the charity stripe. She did all her scoring in the first three periods and raised her season accuracy from deep to .520.

Bentley, number eight in the latest WBCA Division II coaches poll and seventh in the D2SIDA media poll, improved to 6-0 after knocking down 13 of 28 treys as a team. Bridgeport fell to 1-3 on the season.

The Falcons led 17-12 after the opening stanza with most of the damage coming on a run of 12 unanswered early in the game. Senior center Victoria Lux (Arundel, Maine/Thornton Academy) countered an opening basket by the Purple Knights with a lay-up, and senior guard Megan Lewis (Sevenoaks, England) followed with another inside basket to put Bentley in front to stay.

The run continued with a Meriggioli three from the right side, another Lewis lay-up and Meriggioli's second triple of the afternoon, this one from the left side.

The second quarter was all Bentley as the Falcons outscored the Purple Knights 25-6 to open a commanding 42-18 lead. Meriggioli single-handedly outscored the home team with seven points, junior guard Maddy Springfield (Jaffrey, N.H./Conant HS) added five and five other players also contributed to the scoring.

The third quarter, which ended with Bentley on top by 36 (67-31), included an 8-0 run to start and a 9-0 to finish. Meriggioli and senior guard Amy McConnell (South Windsor, Conn./South Windsor HS) drained three-balls as part of the 8-0, and a Springfield three completed the 9-0.

Meriggioli was followed on the scoring list by sophomore forward Marissa Fontaine (Franklin, Mass./Bishop Feehan HS). She scored a season-high 16 in 21 minutes off the bench with five rebounds, three assists and three triples in five attempts.

Lewis gave the Falcons 11 points, six rebounds and three assists, and Springfield filled the stat sheet with eight points, three rebounds, three assists, three rebounds, two steals and a pair of blocks.

Bridgeport's top scorer was freshman guard Jasonna Sutton (Brooklyn, N.Y.) with 13 points.

Bentley shot 46 percent, both overall and from three, and totaled 13 three-pointers. The Falcons finished a plus-15 on the boards and limited the Purple Knights to 29 percent shooting and only five triples in 21 attempts.

The Falcons return to Northeast-10 action Wednesday with a 5:30 game at Franklin Pierce.