WALTHAM, Mass. – Led by senior forward Leonie Edringer (Trier, Germany), the Adelphi University women's basketball team opened a 50-39 halftime lead with 69 percent shooting and went on to post an 85-70 win over Bentley University in a match-up of Northeast-10 Conference nationally-ranked division leaders Saturday afternoon on Barbara Stevens Court.

Bentley, which had won 16 straight home games, dropped out of first place in the Northeast Division, falling to 15-6 overall and 10-3 conference. Adelphi reached the 20-win plateau, leaving the court at 20-2 overall and 11-2 NE10.

Edringer powered Adelphi with a career-best 31 points on 14-of-17 shooting. She did much of her damage in the first half with 21 points on only ten attempts, nine of which went through the basket.

The Falcons were within three with 3:39 to play in the second quarter, but the Panthers put together a 13-5 run to go up 11. Junior guard Phyness Baldwin (Springfield) accounted for 11 of Adelphi's 27 points in the stanza, including a pair of threes for her team's final six points of the half.

Bentley got no closer than seven in the second half but still had a chance following a three-pointer from sophomore guard Kari Brekke (Appleton, Wisc./Appleton North HS) with 3:22 left in the fourth that made it an eight-point game, 76-68.

However, that would be the Falcons' final field goal of the afternoon and Adelphi closed out the contest with a 9-2 spurt over the final three minutes. Bentley finished the final quarter with only three baskets in 13 attempts.

Brekke led Bentley with 18 points and three assists. Graduate forward Megan Lewis (Sevenoaks, England) followed with 15 points, nine rebounds and four assists, and senior center Monica Viapiano (Holden/Holy Name HS) finished with 12 on 6-of-9 shooting.

In addition to Edringer, four other Panthers scored in double figures, including junior guard Katie Murphy (Smithtown, N.Y.) with 13 points.

Adelphi, which was ranked ninth and 13th in this past week's Division II polls, outshot the Falcons 56-43 percent and dominated the boards late with a 33-27 rebounding advantage. Bentley, No. 19 in the D2SIDA media poll, took care of the basketball with only seven turnovers, but couldn't overcome the hot shooting of the visitors.

The Falcons will look to get back on track Wednesday with a 5:30 pm game at Stonehill College. The Skyhawks are tied with Bentley for second in the NE10's Northeast Division with both a game back of Saint Anselm.