LAKELAND, Fla. — Florida Southern College women's basketball opened the Mocs Thanksgiving Classic (3-1, 0-0 Sunshine State), defeating Lake Erie (0-3, 0-0 G-MAC), 71-59, at Jenkins Field House, forcing 24 turnovers and scoring 26 points off those errors.
Lily Pereira led with 21 points, making 9 of 17 shots from the field, and grabbed five rebounds.
Carlota Gomez Alonso scored a career high of 15 points, handed out six assists, and had four steals.
Nia Blocton added defensively with three blocks and steals.
Sydney Gomes scored 12 points, collected six rebounds, and also had two steals.
Florida Southern started strong, leveraging a series of defensive plays to establish an early lead.
Gianna Vos contributed with a layup and two free throws, while Pereira added a successful tip-in and layup to push the score. Gomes capitalized on a fast break, extending the advantage to double digits.
The home team maintained momentum through defensive stops, forcing eight turnovers and converting them into points. Despite the Storm's efforts to close the gap, a late layup by Kylie Maxwell brought the visitors closer. FSC ended the first quarter ahead, leading 18–12.
The second quarter saw a strong start for the Mocs as they capitalized on fast breaks, with Pereira hitting a 3-pointer that pushed the lead to 23–16 early in the quarter. Gomes contributed with a key steal and layup, maintaining momentum. Despite a pushback from the Storm, who scored consistently in the paint, Florida Southern managed to hold their advantage.
Gomez Alonso played a pivotal role, securing defensive rebounds and scoring a layup with just under two minutes remaining, extending the lead to 32–28. The Storm narrowed the gap with free throws and a late layup, but the Mocs entered halftime leading 32–30.
The Mocs began the third quarter with a decisive defensive stand, highlighted by
Nia Blocton's block at 9:41. Florida Southern capitalized on this momentum, as
Monica Balistrere's three-pointer at 8:19 initiated a 7-0 run that included a fast break layup by Pereira.
Midway through the quarter, Gomes contributed a defensive rebound and converted it into a free throw, extending the lead to 39-32. Gomez Alonso's three-pointer at 2:46 capped a series of successful possessions, pushing the advantage further.
As the quarter closed, Florida Southern continued to control the game, with Gomez Alonso completing another layup at 0:24. The Moccasins ended the quarter leading 59-36, maintaining a strong advantage heading into the final quarter.
Florida Southern initiated the fourth quarter with momentum, as Pereira's three-pointer at 9:25, assisted by Vos, extended their lead.
Arantxa Concepcion followed with a layup, further solidifying the advantage. Despite turnovers, the team maintained pressure, with Gomes and Balistrere contributing defensively through steals and rebounds.
The Storm responded with a series of successful paint attempts, narrowing the margin. However, Florida Southern's timely scoring, including a layup by Vos off a fast break with 2:39 remaining, kept the lead secure. The quarter concluded with the Mocs ahead, 71-59, maintaining a strong finish to secure the victory.
Pereira led the way with 21 points, shooting 9 of 17 from the field, and collected five rebounds. Gomez Alonso added 15 points, recorded six assists, and tallied four steals. Blocton contributed defensively with three blocks and three steals. Gomes posted 12 points and grabbed six rebounds, along with two steals.
Looking ahead, Florida Southern will host Puerto Rico-Bayamon on Saturday, Nov. 29, at 2 p.m. in Jenkins Field House.
