The College of Staten Island women’s basketball squad lost for the first time this season in CUNY, falling hard at the hands of visiting Baruch College, 86-58.  The Dolphins fell to 16-4 overall and 11-1 in the CUNYAC, while the Bearcats improved to 14-6, 10-2, respectively.

Baruch opened tonight’s game on a 6-0 run.  The first three minutes of the game were plagued by a slew of turnovers by the Dolphins.  Coach Shanahan was forced to call a timeout to try and calm his team down.  CSI was able to bring the score back within six after being down 10-2.

A Megan Myhre jumper brought the Dolphins within four only to allow that to slip away as Frances Henry hit a three point shot.  Myhre was held in check for the entire first half as she only shot two three pointers, one of which she made.  Myhre ended the half with just five points.  At the 9:56 mark Katelyn Hepworth hit a shot clock beating jumper to put the Dolphins within three. Hepworth had a double double in the first half with 13 points and 12 rebounds.  However, the three points were the closest the Dolphins came to the Bearcats for the rest of the half.

At the 8:06 mark the Bearcats were able to keep their drive alive as they recorded three offensive rebounds and finished with an Ashika Kuruvilla layup.  The Dolphins had no answer for Kuruvilla as she was able to make herself comfortable within the paint.  She was having her way with the Dolphin defenders as she recorded 9 points and four rebounds in the first half.

From that point on the Bearcats continued to extend their lead as they held Johnson and Myhre in check.  The Dolphins went into the locker room down, 48-34.

The second half started off the same way the first half ended and that was with more turnovers and missed shots.  Henry turned it up in the second half as she finished the game with a total of 18 points and five rebounds.  Henry hit a layup at the 15:02 mark that extended the Bearcats lead to 19 and from that point on the Dolphins were never able to close that gap.

Melanie Johnson, the Dolphins highest scorer on the team this season was held to just seven points and no rebounds.  Baruch’s defense was zoned in on Johnson and it worked as she fouled out early at the 12:16 mark in the second half.  Victoria Gallinaro was the only other player scoring in double digits on her team other than Hepworth.  Gallinaro was able to contribute 13 points and 6 rebounds in the loss to Baruch.

Unfortunately the Dolphins would have two more players foul out.  Nikki Fabozzi fouled out with 5:35 remaining in the game and Alyssa Carlsen fouled out with 2:49 left in the game.  That’s the type of night it was for the Dolphins, turnovers and missed shots were the Dolphins’ downfall tonight.  The Dolphins were also outrebounded by a bigger Baruch team and although they gave it all they had tonight just did not go the way they planned.

CSI will travel to Lehman College on Monday, February 3, at 5:30pm.