WALTHAM, Mass. – Graduate forward Autumn Ceppi (Bedford, Mass./Dana Hall School) turned in a solid performance for the Bentley University women's basketball team Saturday afternoon against Franklin Pierce University, but it wasn't enough as the Falcons dropped a 60-48 decision to the Ravens in Northeast-10 Conference action at the FPU Field House.

The loss was the second straight for the Falcons, who slipped to 14-8 overall and 12-6 NE10 with one game left in the regular season. Franklin Pierce, with its second-best defensive effort of the season, improved to 11-12 overall and 7-10 conference.

Ceppi's afternoon included 17 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and five steals. Eight of her boards came at the offensive end and she made 8 of 15 shots.

The rest of the team was a combined 11 of 49 from the field, with senior guard Kari Brekke (Appleton, Wis./Appleton North HS) the only Falcon other than Ceppi to score in doubles. She buried three from distance and finished with 11.

Bentley started fast, jumping out to a 14-8 lead. Franklin Pierce answered with 11 straight points, including a trio of three-pointers in a span of 57 seconds.

The Falcons, who were down 33-28 at the half after the Ravens hit two three-pointers to close out the second quarter scoring, tied the game twice in the opening minutes of the third, the last time on a Ceppi putback that made it a 35-all game.

The rest of the third belonged to Franklin Pierce as the Ravens put together a 21-5 run to go up 16, 56-40. Senior guard Lisa Sulejmani (Burlington, Vt.) led that charge with all 12 of her points coming in a span of 3:10.

Points were at a premium both ways in the fourth. Bentley scored the first eight points, drawing to within eight (56-48) with just under two minutes to play. A three-pointer that would have made it a five-point game was missed and senior guard Rylee Skinner (Leominster, Mass.) scored the Ravens' only four points of the fourth to hold off the Falcons.

Six players scored between 7 and 12 for Franklin Pierce with Sulejmani (12) and Skinner (11) leading the way.

Franklin Pierce shot 45 percent overall and won the battle of the boards in the second half, 24-17, after Bentley had the advantage in the first, 22-15. Both teams were plagued by turnovers with FPU losing it 25 times and Bentley 23.

Bentley, which remained in second in the NE10 Northeast Division despite the loss, will finish the regular season Tuesday at home with a Senior Night game against Saint Anselm College.