Flushing, N.Y. – The Molloy women's basketball team opened the Knights Thanksgiving Invitational picking up a 76-52 victory over the Chargers of Dominican University, Saturday afternoon on the campus of Queens College. The Lions improve to 4-3 on the campaign, while the Chargers move to 6-2.
How it Happened
- The Chargers opened the contest on a 8-3 run before senior Samantha Muller and junior Rosa Rizzitelli netted jumpers to bring Molloy within one, 8-7, midway through the first quarter.
- The squads would go back and forth for the remainder of the first stanza, but a three-point play from junior Sophia Yearwood and a three-point field goal from Rizzitelli sent the Lions into the second quarter tied at 21.
- Molloy opened the first 2:41 of the second stanza on a 11-2 rally, shooting a perfect five-of-five from the floor to take a 32-23 lead. The run was paced by senior Danielle Hippner who netted six points and tallied a block.
- The cardinal and white held onto its nine-point lead for the next five minutes of action, before Muller extended its lead to 11, 36-25, with under four minutes to go in the first half.
- The Lions would take an eight-point advantage, 41-33, into halftime.
- Molloy sustained a nine-point advantage, 45-36, in the beginning 1:52 of the third quarter following a layup from junior Casey Campo.
- The cardinal and white concluded the third quarter on the back of a 14-2 run, paced by Yearwood who drained three, three-point baskets to take a 59-38 advantage into the fourth quarter.
- The Lions would go shot for shot with the Chargers in the final stanza, not allowing the opposition to get closer than 19 and opening its lead to as much as 28 in the final 10 minutes to secure the victory.
Top Performances
- Yearwood scored a game-high 17 points, shooting 60 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point distance.
- Muller totaled 15 points and nine rebounds.
- Rizzitelli stuffed the stat sheet, collecting 11 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and a game-high five steals.
- Hipper added 10 points and four blocks.
Up Next
Molloy concludes the Knights Thanksgiving Invitational Sunday, December 1 against Felician beginning at 2:00 p.m.
