The Lady Rattlers fall in a blowout loss to the Lady Seminoles, 112-39
By: Nay’Ron Jenkins, Staff Writer

The Florida State University Lady Seminoles hosted the FAMU Lady Rattlers to tip off the 2025–26 season at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center on Monday night.

The game started off with a moderate score of 20 to 9 at the end of the first quarter. However, the Seminoles went on to outscore the Rattlers 35 to 5 in the second quarter. This high volume of scoring each quarter by the Lady Seminoles helped gain momentum and dominance over the Lady Rattlers.

“I don’t think we came to battle like we should have tonight,” said Head Coach Bridgette Gordon. “We were right there in the first quarter but when we got down, I didn't see us come back with that dog mentality.”

The Rattlers struggled offensively, shooting 19% from the field and 17% from the 3-point line. The Seminoles, however, shot 46% from the field and 33% from the 3-point line. The Lady Seminoles had six players finishing with double digits while FAMU only had one.

The Lady Rattlers were led in scoring by true freshman guard Cornelia Ellington with 16 points.

“My confidence comes from me being a freshman and really having a point to prove,” Ellington said.

A huge leading voice for the Lady Rattlers will be redshirt junior guard Tahnyja Purifoy. Purifoy was a spark of energy for the Rattlers even while being down big throughout the game.

“It's still early on and we have a long way to go,” Purifoy said. “I believe it's not how you start a race; it's how you finish it. So, we will continue to work day by day.”

Coach Gordon also mentioned that she strongly believes that any team she coaches is going to play hard, but it is the small details that are keeping this team from being great.

The Lady Rattlers will be back in action Nov. 8 against the Howard Lady Bison in Washington, D.C.

The Lady Rattlers huddle during a timeout against Florida State University on Monday night.