CSI ENDS 2014 WITH LOSS TO CAMELS, 74-68

Freshman forward Mairead Hynes posted 29 points and 16 rebounds, leading the Connecticut College women’s basketball program to a 74-68 victory over the College of Staten Island on Wednesday afternoon in the consolation game of the Hampton Inn West Springfield/Naismith Classic hosted at Springfield College.

Hynes etched her name in the tournament’s record book with her 17 free-throws attempted, and 13 free-throws made, breaking both marks in the final minutes of the contest.

With the win, the Camels improve to 8-2 on the year, while the Dolphins fall to 5-7 overall. Connecticut College shot 23-for-64 (35.9%) on the day, while Staten Island was 27-for-67 (40.3%) from the field in the contest.

Leading the way for the Camels along with Hynes was sophomore guard Liz Malman, who finished the contest with 17 points and four rebounds of her own. For the Dolphins, Nikki Fabozzi led with 19 points and five rebounds, while Victoria Crea posted eight points and as many rebounds in the loss.

After Connecticut College jumped out to a 9-3 lead following a three-pointer from Carlee Smith, Staten Island canned two-straight baskets to pull back to within a pair and forcing a Camel timeout.

Jamie Pifalo then evened the game at nine apiece with a lay-up underneath the basket, both sides traded baskets until four-straight points from Hynes gave Connecticut College a 19-15 lead midway through the opening half.

Once Fabozzi drained a triple on a nice kick-out from Victoria Crea (Staten Island, N.Y.) to give the Dolphins a 20-19 lead, Staten Island went on a 11-0 run which was halted by a jumper from Hynes, making the score 26-21 Dolphins with just over two minutes left in the first half.

After reclaiming a nine-point lead, Camels senior guard Kaitlyn Cresencia hit a three-pointer to pull Connecticut College to within four, but then Victoria Gallinaro converted a pair of free-throws on the other end for Staten Island to give the Dolphins a six-point lead.

Malman then hit two free-throws with under ten seconds remaining in the half, cutting the Camels’ deficit to four prior to the break.

The Dolphins kicked off the second half on a 8-3 run following a triple on the wing from Megan Myhre to give the Dolphins a 43-33 lead just 3:25 into the second half, forcing a timeout from Connecticut College.

After a pair of free-throws from Pifalo to extend the Dolphins’ lead to 12, Malman hit a jumper in transition on the following possession to cut Connecticut College’s deficit back to 10 before the Camels brought the game to within five points following a pair of free-throws from Hynes. 

With just under five minutes remaining, Fabozzi came up with a steal for the Dolphins, before dishing a pass to Pasaturo converted a free-throw at the other end to give Staten Island a 62-53 lead. On the ensuing possession, Willa McKinley drained a corner three-pointer to bring the Camels back to within six, forcing a Staten Island timeout.

As part of an 11-0 run for the Camels, Smith canned a pair from the charity stripe to cut the Camels’ deficit to just one with under three minutes left in the contest, before Malman capitalized on a three-point play on the ensuing possession to give Connecticut College a 64-62 lead.

Hynes then extended the Camels’ lead to four with a lay-up underneath the basket, before Smith converted on a pair of free-throws to make it a six-point game. After Fabozzi hit a lay-up for the Dolphins to cut it back to three. Hynes then capitalized on all of her free-throws down the stretch to ice the 74-68 victory for the Camels.