PENSACOLA, Fla. – Faulkner never led in the first half and trailed only briefly in the second as it knocked off Pensacola Christian 59-52 Tuesday night. The Lady Eagles were down by as many as 10 in the first half before going on a 6-2 run to end the first quarter. Faulkner then put together a 7-2 run to open the second quarter and cut the deficit to 19-18.

The teams traded free throws for the next five minutes before Sandy McElhaney and Grace Imdieke scored on back-to-back possessions to put Pensacola Christian up five.

With 1:25 remaining in the half, Micala Fisanick (SO/Troy, Ala.) knocked down a three ahead of a pair of Ryann Sylvester (JR/Mobile, Ala.) free throws to tie the game.

After Lauran Alvarez knocked down two free throws to put PCC up again, Fisancick answered with a field goal with 22 seconds left on the clock to send it to the locker room at 29-29.

Sylvester knocked down a shot with 8:42 left in the third to give the Lady Eagles their first lead. It proved short lived as Emma Hardy drained a three 25 seconds later to put Pensacola Christian back on top.

Faulkner then found its footing, mounting an 11-0 run to take command of the game. Channing Gafford (JR/Athens, Ala.) knocked down a pair of threes a minute apart before Fisanick dropped a shot for a seven-point Faulkner lead. Ashlyn Adkins (JR/Locust Fork, Ala.) then drained a triple with 4:18 left in the third for a 42-32 Lady Eagle advantage. Gafford knocked down a three with 1:02 left in the quarter for a 49-38 lead, Faulkner's largest of the evening.

The Lady Eagles' final field goal of the game came with 5:25 to play when Adkins scored to make it 55-46. Faulkner would then go 4 for 8 from the free throw line the rest of the way to hang on for the win.

Sylvester topped Faulkner in scoring with 13 points. Adkins chipped in 10 for the Lady Eagles. Alvarez paced Pensacola Christian with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

As a team, Faulkner shot just 31.7 percent from the floor including 25 percent from the three-point line. The Lady Eagles went 63.2 percent from the stripe.

Faulkner (8-3, 0-1 SSAC) returns to action Thursday, Dec. 5 at 12:30 p.m. when it hosts Judson College.