WALTHAM, Mass. – Graduate transfer Autumn Ceppi (Bedford/Dana Hall) turned in a career performance with her 23 points, 18 rebounds and five assists powering Bentley University to a 78-65 win over Franklin Pierce University in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball Saturday afternoon at the Dana Center.

Bentley, 5-2 overall, remained undefeated in conference play with its fourth NE10 victory. Franklin Pierce dropped to 5-3 overall and 1-1 NE10.

After a closely contested opening quarter that included six lead changes and ended with the visitors up 15-14, Bentley owned the second stanza, outscoring Franklin Pierce 21-10 to go up ten, 35-25.

Ceppi had 12 points and five boards in the second and went into the halftime break with 18 points and nine rebounds. Four of her points came during a 9-0 run that turned a three-point Falcon deficit into a 25-19 lead.

In the third, after the Ravens scored the first two points, Bentley ran off the next to extend the lead to 10, 45-27. Sophomore guard Maggie Whitmore (South Portland, Maine/South Portland GS) had a lay-up, senior guards Kolleen Bouchard (Houlton, Maine/Houlton HS) and Kari Brekke (Appleton, Wis./Appleton North HS) each sank a triple, and Ceppi reached the 20-point mark for the second time as a collegian with a lay-up.

Bentley's advantage peaked at 19, 72-53, with 3:18 left when junior guard Ella Thompson (Greenwood, Ind./ Center Grove HS) connected on her second straight left-corner three.

Ceppi, whose career-highs during her four years at Bucknell were 20 points and 13 rebounds, made 10 of 16 from the field, almost all in close to the basket, and three of four free throws. Seven of her 18 rebounds were offensive and were a major season why the Falcons recorded a 23-5 advantage in second chance points.

Whitmore finished with 13 points and eight rebounds, both career bests, and Thompson had a dozen, with ten of those coming in the fourth. Bouchard also had a strong game with nine points and five assists.

Senior forward Emma Carter (Bristol, Vt.) led Franklin Pierce with 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting.

Franklin Pierce shot slightly better (43-42 percent) but C White's team made twice as many three-pointers (8-4) and outrebounded the Ravens by 19, 46-27, with 18 coming at the offensive end.

On Tuesday, Bentley will be on the road for a 5:30 pm encounter at Southern New Hampshire.