In a back-and-forth battle the entire way, St. Joseph’s College (Brooklyn) used a 9-2 run over the final 3:45, to take a 60-55 win over the College of Staten Island women’s basketball squad in a non-conference test at Brooklyn Technical High School in Brooklyn, New York.  Both teams are now 7-11 overall.  The Dolphins loss was their third straight, while the Bears won their third-straight and their first-ever against the Dolphins since the teams started playing one another in 1995.

The lead changing hands was a recurring theme all night, as the teams battled through 15 ties and 11 lead changes.  CSI held slim advantages early, leading by as many as four in the opening eight and a half minutes before an Ashley McQuillan three gave SJC their first lead, 17-14, at the 11:25 mark of the first frame.  CSI responded right back with an Olivia Tierno running lay-up and a Jaclyn Tocco three-ball to take a 19-17 lead at 10:28, and from there, again CSI held an advantage.

The Dolphins extended their first half lead to as many as six points on a Nikki Fabozzi three at 7:24, but an 8-2 run over the next four minutes by the home squad, which featured baskets by McQuillan and Janine Doran tied the game at 30-30, and later, another McQuillan made jumper with four ticks left in the frame gave the Bears a 34-32 halftime lead.

The second half was just as contested but a whole lot more frustrating for the Dolphins, who went ice cold, shooting a breezy 9-of-51 from the floor (17.6%).  CSI held the final edge on the offensive glass, 30-10, and forced 30 turnovers to their own 15, but the shots just weren’t falling.  Still, CSI managed another five-point edge, going up 41-36 at 15:31 with another Tierno layup.  The Bears never wavered though, tying the game twice and then taking a 46-44 lead on a Kristin Binckes jumper at 9:51.

SJC kept the lead over the next five minutes before Tierno put CSI up again via free-throws, completing a 9-2 run to give CSI their final lead at 3:45, 53-51.  In the game of momentum, however, the Bears had the final run, as the Dolphins connected on only one of their final eight shots, also missing a lone free-throw.  A McQuillan jumper knotted the score at 55-55 with 1:26 to play, and after a CSI miss, Megan Moran connected for the Bears to give the home squad a lead at :48.  After another CSI miss the Dolphins were forced to foul, and McQuillan made three-of-four free-throws to put the game on ice, 60-55.

McQuillan finished with 27 for the Bears, adding six rebounds and four assists, as the Bears shot 22-51 from the floor (43.1%).  CSI, which finished the game at 24.1% shooting were led by Fabozzi’s 19 points, while Katelyn Hepworth finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds.  Tierno finished with 13 points.

CSI will get some rest before returning to action on Monday, February 6 at 6pm against conference-rivals York College.  CSI defeated York earlier this season, 64-41, and it will be an important game for the Dolphins, who are an even 4-4 in conference play.