Old Westbury, N.Y. (Jan. 6, 2018) – The Molloy women's basketball team fell to the NYIT Bears, 57-50, Saturday afternoon at  Recreation Hall. Freshman Marthe Guirand led the Lions with a double-double (14 points and 11 rebounds), and junior McKayla Hernandez tallied 11 points for the maroon and white, which moved to 6-9 overall and 1-4 in East Coast Conference play.

Molloy jumped out to an early 8-1 advantage, led by four points from Hernandez. NYIT (10-5, 4-1 ECC) scored the next six points to cut the away team's lead to 8-7. The Lions closed the quarter with baskets from freshmen Melody Prichard (nine points) and Gabriella Aspuru (six points) and led 12-7 at the end of the first frame.

The maroon and white opened the second quarter with five straight points, a three-pointer by sophomore Kathryn Gibson (five points) and a layup by Guirand, to extend its lead to 17-7. With the score 19-10, the Bears outscored the Lions 12-4 to make it a 23-22 contest at the break.

Hernandez opened up the third quarter with a basket to increase Molloy's lead to 25-22. NYIT answered with four straight points to go ahead 26-25. Guirand and Aspuru netted back-to-back baskets to put the away team ahead 29-26. The home team then went on a 10-0 rally to take a 36-29 lead. Guirand made a jump shot late in the third frame to cut the Bears' lead to 38-35 at the end of 30 minutes of play.

Guirand brought the home team's lead to 38-37 with a basket to begin the final frame. NYIT responded with eight straight points to increase its lead to 46-37. Down 51-41, Prichard and junior Ihnacinse Grady (six points) made consecutive baskets to cut the advantage to 51-45, but that was as close as the Lions would get as the Bears went on to win 57-50.

Molloy continues ECC play Wednesday, Jan. 10, when it hosts the University of Bridgeport. Tip-off with the Purple Knights is slated for 5:00 p.m.