Strong Second Half Pushes Molloy Past Women's Basketball, 65-52, In ECC Semifinals
Box Score
BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (March 6, 2010) – A series of short runs in the second half was what it took Molloy College to overtime a halftime deficit and defeat C.W. Post, 65-52, in the semifinal round of the East Coast Conference Championships and move on to Sunday afternoon's final against the University of Bridgeport.
Molloy is the winner of six straight contest and improves its mark to 19-8 overall. C.W. Post slips to 20-9 overall.
Junior guard Janea Aiken (St. Albans, N.Y.) led all scorers with 17 points, shooting 4 of 16 from field goal range and converting 9 of 14 from the free throw line.
Trailing 26-24 at the half, the Lions quickly tied the game when senior guard Clarissa Jones (Boston, Mass.) scored on a layup to open the second half. Aiken answered for the Pioneers with her own layup at 18:39 before Jones added another at 17:56. The Lions took the lead (30-28) when senior forward Kymira Woodberry (Hyde Park, Mass.) floated a jumper into the hoop at 17:10.
C.W. Post tied things up at 30-all when Aiken went 1-for-2 at the line in back-to-back series of free throws.
Molloy senior forward Tatiana Lopez (West Hempstead, N.Y.) poured in a jumper on a steal from senior forward E.J. Dreyer (Floral Park, N.Y.) at 16:11 that started an 8-0 run for the Lions and pushed their lead to 38-30 with 12:39 left in the half.
The Pioneers battled back cut the lead to one (43-42) after senior guard Jasmine Moore (Bronx, N.Y.) scored a lay-in at 7:18.
But the Lions' offense was too much regained its form and outscored the Pioneers 8-0 over the next two and half minutes of play to cushion the lead to 51-42 with 4:18 remaining.
The Pioneers' next four points would come in a series of free throws from Aiken at 3:51 and 2:14 but by then the Lions held a commanding 10-point lead (56-46).
Senior guard Gina Catherall (Bayside, N.Y.) scored the final six points for the Pioneers with back-to-back threes in the final minute of play.
Molloy shot .500 from the field in the second half (11 of 22) and finished the game shooting .408 (20 of 49). C.W. Post shot .250 (7 of 28) in the second half and finished shooting .321 (17 of 53) from the field. Both teams grabbed 37 boards off the glass.
Woodberry, Jones and senior guard Lisa Claxton (Hempstead, N.Y.) all scored 13 points to lead the Lions. Woodberry pulled down a game-high 14 points. Junior center Caitlin Wheeler (Belle Harbor, N.Y.) was a defensive stopper with blocks in the game. The Lions got help with 24 points scored off the bench.
For the Pioneers, Catherall and sophomore guard Felicia Joyner (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) each chipped in 11 points while junior forward Alyssa Lombardi (New Fairfield, Conn.) pulled down 10 boards off the glass.
C.W. Post will wait until Sunday, March 7 to find out if it will advance to the upcoming NCAA Regional.