HARTFORD, Conn. - Senior tri-captain Elizabeth Althoff (Staten Island, N.Y.) 18 points, 11 rebounds, two blocks, and two steals to lead the Trinity College Bantams to a 53-45 victory over the visiting United States Coast Guard Academy Bears in women's basketball action this evening on Ogrodnik Court in Oosting Gymnasium.  The Bantam defense rebounded from Coast Guard's 24-point first quarter to allow just 3 points in the second quarter and 18 in the second half.  Trinity evens its record at 1-1 and Coast Guard drops to 2-2.  Trinity plays next at Eastern Connecticut on Saturday at 3 p.m. and the Bears host Fisher on Friday at 7 p.m.

Coast Guard shot 69.2 percent from the field in the opening period to take a 24-18 lead after 10 minutes, but made only one of 12 field goals in the second frame and the game was tied at the half.  Althoff led all scorers at the break with 12 points.  Bantam sophomore forward Alaina Holmes (Troy, N.Y.) scored inside to give the home team a 33-31 lead with 6:29 left in the third quarter, and Trinity led the rest of the way.  The Bears finished just 14 for 53 from the floor (26.4%) and managed just five field goals after the first quarter.  Trinity also outrebounded Coast Guard, 45-40, offsetting  a 9-to-1 deficit in three-pointers made.  Junior guard Bria Fuller (Springdale, Md.) had 10 points, six rebounds, and three assists for Trinity.  Emma Puddington had 12 points to lead the Bears.