Box Score BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (Nov. 9, 2013) - On Saturday afternoon, the Molloy College women's basketball team cruised past Post University in its 2013-14 season opener, 97-78 at the Hubbell Gym in Bridgeport, Conn. Senior
Kelly Guerriero (Floral Park, N.Y.) poured in a team-high 21 points to assist the Lions to a 1-0 record. The Eagles dropped to 0-1 overall. In her very first chance, Head Coach
Kate Lynch grabbed her first victory at the helm of the Lions' program.
The final score was not indicative of how the first half played out. Through the opening five minutes of the contest, Molloy held a consistent lead of no less than three points. With the Lions ahead 14-9, the Eagles hit a three-pointer and converted on one of two free throws to cut their deficit to one point (14-13). The Lions answered back with a 6-0 run, which started with a basket from beyond the arc from Guerriero. Sophomore
Ally Leftridge (Melville, N.Y.) drove in a lay-up and sophomore
Kimani Jackson (Dix Hills, N.Y.) hit a pair of foul shots to help increase Molloy's advantage to 21-13.
From 13:47 to 12:02, the Eagles put together an 11-2 run, including a three-pointer from Liz Falcigno. With that burst, Post once again cut its deficit to one point (23-22). The Eagles wouldn't grab their first lead since the opening seconds of the game, until 8:36 remaining in the first half. Falcigno's free throw broke a 28-28 tie. Despite the Lions coming close on numerous occasions, they wouldn't regain the lead until under two minutes to go before the intermission. Molloy reeled off an 11-1 run to close out the opening stanza. The Lions entered the locker room in the lead, 53-46.
Following halftime, the Lions picked up right where they left off. Molloy scored 10 straight points to start the second half to increase its advantage to 63-46. Junior
Nicole Arnone (Staten Island, N.Y.) had six of those points on three lay-ups. Over the final two minutes of the first half and the opening 3:40 of the second stanza, the Lions scored 21 points to the Eagles' one.
Molloy coasted the rest of the way, leading by no less than 10 points enroute to a 97-78 victory.
For the Lions, Guerriero scored 21 points, while Arnone had 14 and rookie
Aliyah McDonald (Hempstead, N.Y.) added 14 off the bench. Leftridge amassed 13 points, while sophomore
Alex Hampton (Baldwin, N.Y.) put in 12. On the boards, McDonald had 10 rebounds for the double-double. She fell one assist short of a triple-double. Leftridge stole the ball away four times, which was a game-high.
Head Coach
Kate Lynch and the Lions return to the hardwood tomorrow when they take on Felician College at 2 p.m. at the Hubbell Gym in Bridgeport. LiveStats will be available via www.MolloyLions.com.
