Willimantic, Conn. - The Eastern Connecticut State University women's basketball team responded from an 18-day layoff by collecting a season-high 18 steals and rolling to a 75-41 non-conference victory over Clark University Wednesday evening at the Francis E. Geissler Gymnasium.

The Warriors were playing their seventh home game this season, while Clark remains winless (0-5) on its opponent's home court this year.

Junior guards Brittany Whiteley and Jessica Moriarty combineed for 29 points, eight rebounds, eight steals and six assists for the Warriors, who scored nearly half of their points off of Clark's 26 turnovers. Eastern totaled 36 points after the Cougars gave the ball away. Eastern commited only ten turnovers  12 less than its season's average  in holding its opponent 16 points under its average points allowed this year.

Moriarty, Eastern's only returning starter from last year's 72-57 road win over Clark, had a career-high seven steals to go along with 12 points, five assists, three rebounds, and a blocked shot. Whiteley scored 17 points in a game for the second time this year - two shy of her career high. Whiteley complemented her game-high scoring total of 17 points (7-for-12 from the floor) with five rebounds.

Whiteley and Moriarty were joined in double figures by three teammates. Junior post player Amanda Pierlioni equaled her season high with 14 points - all coming in 19 first-half minutes when she teammed with freshman guard Jessica Blodgett to pace the Warriors to a 48-20 halftime lead.

Blodgett scored ten of her game total of 12 points and freshman forward Tanisha Carter scored eight of her game total of ten points in the first half.

Blodgett converted five of 14 field goals in the game (hitting her first two three-pointers of the season) to break out of a season-long slump which found her shooting just 1-for-23 from the floor (0-for-15 from three-point range) and accumulating just three points in 98 minutes.

Freshman forward Madelyn Regan and freshman guard Jenna Baptista saw collegiate action for the first time. Regan scored three points with three free throws and grabbed four rebounds in six minutes. Baptista played eight minutes without a point or rebound.

Clark senior forward Jillian Camilleri (Lancaster, Mass.) - one of three returning starters from last year's game against Eastern - led the Cougars with eight points and seven rebounds, while sophomore guard Maggie Croft (East Aurora, N.Y.) had eight points.

The Cougars will look to return to the win column when it returns to the hardwood on Wednesday, Jaunuary 6 with a home contest against MIT.