PULASKI, Tenn. – Faulkner could not overcome two abysmal offensive quarters Saturday as it fell 74-61 in its SSAC opener against Martin Methodist. The Lady Eagles went a combined 5 of 31 from the floor in the second and fourth quarters, being outscored 47-20 in those periods.

The Lady Eagles opened well, hitting 47.1 percent from the floor in the first quarter. Faulkner ended the period on a 13-2 run and appeared poised to continue that success in the second period. Faulkner failed to make a shot from the floor in the second quarter until the 5:20 mark but still led 27-18 after the Angela Grant (SO/Hoover, Ala.) bucket.

Martin then surged to a 14-2 run to end the half, taking a 32-29 lead into the locker room. Undaunted, the Lady Eagles came out firing in the second half. Channing Gafford (JR/Athens, Ala.) drained a shot at the 8:31 mark and made a pair of free throws with 7:26 to go in the frame to narrow the gap to 34-33. With 3:16 left in the quarter, Kayla Harbin (SR/Hartselle, Ala.) knocked down a shot to put Faulkner ahead 40-38. The teams traded shots the rest of the period before Micala Fisanick (SO/Troy, Ala.) notched a bucket with 13 seconds left to put Faulkner up 49-47.

That proved the end of the good news for Faulkner as Martin opened the fourth quarter on a 9-0 run to take a seven-point lead. The Lady Red Hawks never let up, running the lead to as much as 14 before time expired.

Erin Freeman paced Martin with 30 points to go along with four steals. Brooklyn Blanchard chipped in 15 in the win.

Fisanick topped Faulkner with 15 points. Ashlyn Adkins (JR/Locust Fork, Ala.) added 13 while Ryann Sylvester (JR/Mobile, Ala.) had 12. Angela Grant led all rebounders with 14.

Faulkner (7-3, 0-1 SSAC) travels Tuesday to take on Pensacola Christian.