www.uuathletics.com/southregion

JACKSON, Tenn. – The No. 9 Union University women's basketball team dropped the opening game of the 2016 NCAA DII National Championships 72-62 to the University of Tampa. Union ended their season 28-4, while Tampa advances to the region semifinals with a 20-12 record.

Tampa, the 8-seed and winner of seven straight games, knocked out top-seeded Union with 55 percent shooting (11-20) from 3-point range.

Union started the game with a layup from Jada Perkins that spark a 9-2 run for Union. Tampa responded and following a 3-pointer from Elena De Alfredo with 53 seconds left in the quarter, the Spartans led for the first time, 13-12. Both teams swapped field goals in the final seconds of the quarter to keep Tampa on top 14-13 after 10 minutes of play.

After Union led 16-15 early, Tampa maintained the lead for the rest of the second quarter, going up by as many as eight points, 26-18, before leading 28-22 at the half.

The second half started with Tampa pushing out to a 10 point lead, 34-24, with 6:10 left in the third quarter. Union stormed back with an 11-2 run to cut the deficit to just one point, 36-35, with 3:22 left following a layup from Tiara Caldwell. However, the Spartans held the lead as Juliana Cavallaro capped at 7-2 run with a 3-pointer to put her club back up by six points, 43-37 with 59 seconds left. The third quarter ended with Tampa leading 43-37.

Tampa stayed hot, starting the fourth quarter with an 8-2 run included two 3-pointers to push their lead back to double digits, 49-39, with 8:48 left in the game. Union's Caldwell slowed the run with a layup but five more points from Tampa included a 3-pointer from Ellen Nurmi extended their lead to 13 points, 54-41, with 6:46 left in the game.

Union responded with a 6-0 run over the next minute to cut the deficit to seven points, 54-47 with 5:20 left. But again, Tampa, just as they did all night, had an answer for every Union run. The Sports scored nine of the next 11 points including a 3-pointer from Candace Martino to take a 63-49 lead with 3:02 left. Tampa led by as many as 16 points, 67-51, with 1:24 left in the game.

After hitting just one 3-pointer in the first 39 minutes of play, Union's Chelsea Bodiford hit one and Perkins hit two in the final minute, but too late to change the outcome. Union fell 72-62.

Union was led by Caldwell with 23 points. Perkins scored 13 points and Jada Smith added 10 points. Union's lone senior Kelsey Risner added nine points and 15 rebounds. Union shot 41 percent from the field, 29 percent (4-14) from long range and 63 percent (10-16) from the free throw line.

Tampa was led by Cavallaro with 23 points. Alfredo added 16 points, Nurmi scored 11 and Candace Martino added 10. The Spartans shot 52 percent from the field, 55 percent (11-20) from 3-point range and 78 percent (7-9) from the free throw line.

-UNION-