Washington, D.C. (Dec. 2, 2017) – The Molloy women's basketball team opened ECC play with a 79-75 victory over the University of the District of Columbia Firebirds Saturday afternoon at the UDC Sports Complex. Sophomore
Kathryn Gibson netted a team-high 20 points for the Lions, who had three players score in double figures. Junior
McKayla Hernandez tallied 13 points, and junior
Ihnacinse Grady added seven points and 10 assists. The maroon and white improve to 5-3 overall and 1-0 in league play.
Molloy started the game with an 8-2 advantage, led by three-pointers from freshman
Melody Prichard (10 Points) and Grady and a basket from freshman
Marthe Guirand (nine points, nine rebounds). Ahead 8-5, the Lions went on an 11-0 run, led by seven points from Hernandez, to increase their lead to 19-5. The home team closed the quarter with the next five points, and the maroon and white led 19-10 at the end of the first frame.
The Lions maintained a double-digit lead for the first part of the second quarter. Up 28-16, UDC netted six consecutive points to make it a 28-22 game. The maroon and white answered with a bucket from Prichard and a pair of free throws from Gibson to bring the lead to 10, 32-22. The Firebirds cut the lead to five, 39-34, late in the half, but Grady ended the stanza with a pair of foul shots to put the visitors up 41-34 at the end of 20 minutes of play.
UDC (2-5, 0-1 ECC) opened the second half with eight of the first 11 point to shrink the Molloy lead to 45-42. Later in the quarter, the Firebirds made it a one-point contest, 49-48. But the Lions rallied with a basket from Prichard and a triple by Gibson to take a 56-52 advantage at the end of the third quarter.
The Firebirds cut the Lions lead to two, 57-55 with 7:07 left in the final frame. Molloy responded with a 9-0 run, led by five points from Gibson, to go up 66-55. The Lions brought their lead to 12, 74-62, after freshman
Gabriella Aspuru (nine points) drained a three. UDC cut the lead to three, 74-71, with 25 seconds left, but the Lions were able to put the game away and hold on to the win.
The maroon and white continue ECC play Saturday, Dec. 9, when they host Queens. Tip-off from Quealy Gymnasium is scheduled for noon.
