Box Score ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (Feb. 15, 2014) – On Saturday afternoon, the Molloy College women's basketball team overcame a late run by Saint Thomas Aquinas College for a 59-58 win at Quealy Gymnasium. With the win, the Lions improved to 12-11 on the season, and 9-7 in East Coast Conference play. The Spartans dropped to 10-11 overall and 6-10 in the ECC.
Molloy jumped out to an early lead, scoring the first give points of the game. Sophomore guard Alexia O'Connor (Centerport, N.Y.) led the way, contributing nine of her 12 points in the first stanza. The Spartans, shooting just 25.8% from the floor, were unable to find offensive consistency, allowing Molloy to build upon its lead. O'Connor went 4-for-4 from the foul line in the last minute of the half, giving Molloy a 30-20 advantage at intermission.
The Lions built on their lead early in the second half, going up by 14 at the 14:59 mark. But a 8-0 Spartan run over the next two minutes cut Molloy's lead to just six. The Lions fought back, scoring the next seven points, and a made free throw by sophomore guard Alex Hampton (Baldwin, N.Y.) put Molloy back up by 13 with less than 11 minutes left to play.
A foul by junior forward Megan Lonergan (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) three minutes later put the Spartans' Kaitlyn McCue on the foul line. McCue made both free throws, sparking a 12-0 Saint Thomas Aquinas run that again cut into Molloy's lead. At the 3:07 mark, the Spartans' Kristen Olsen hit a shot from behind the arc to tie the game at 54. Saint Thomas Aquinas then took over the lead, going up two with under a minute to play.
Molly regained possession of the ball after a McCue turnover with 55 seconds left to go. Senior guard Kelly Guerriero (Floral Park, N.Y.), who hit only one other basket in the half, sank a three at the 39-second mark, regaining the lead for the Lions. Saint Thomas Aquinas attempted two more threes before the clock ran out, but the Spartans were unable to put any more points on the board. Molloy came away with the 59-58 victory.
In addition to her 12 points, O'Connor added six rebounds, three assists, and two blocks for Molloy. Lonergan led the team with 16 points, nine rebounds, and 11 blocks. Those 11 blocks tied a player's record for most in one game, while the team's 15 blocks set a new program record.
Olsen scored a game-high 19 points for Saint Thomas Aquinas. Samantha Burden contributed 15 points and seven rebounds.
UP NEXT: Head Coach Kate Lynch and the Lions take on the University of the District of Columbia in an East Coast Conference-matchup at Quealy Gymnasium on Saturday, February 22. Tipoff is scheduled for noon. LiveStats and a video webcast will be available at www.MolloyLions.com. The team's lone senior, Kelly Guerriero, will be honored prior to tipoff.
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