The College of Staten Island women’s basketball squad improved their win streak to three games and did it in impressive fashion, scoring a lopsided, 82-54, win over CUNYAC defending champions Baruch College at the ARC Arena in Manhattan. The Dolphins improved to 4-3 overall and 2-0 within the CUNYAC, while the Bearcats fell to 2-3, 1-1, respectively.
In a series dominated in recent years by the Bearcats, it was the Dolphins that assumed control in the late stages of the first quarter and never looked back. Jacqueline Kennedy gave Baruch a 9-8 lead six minutes into the first stanza, but the Dolphins would catch fire, scoring 9 points in the final 2:16 of the frame, going on a 12-4 run before the quarter ended to take a 20-13 lead at the end of stage one. Nicole Vierno powered for a three-point play and jumpers by CSI leading scorers Samantha Flecker and Christina Pasaturo cushioned the lead.
A Pasaturo lay-up, and later, a running lay-in by Rosa Perone gave CSI a 32-21 lead in the middle of the second quarter. From there, both teams went a bit colder, choosing to trade baskets in the final five to see CSI take a 39-28 lead at the break.
The second half then belonged to CSI. After an Alicia Williams jumper notched the Dolphins’ lead down to 44-34, the Dolphins went on a decisive 10-0 run. Two Jamie Pifalo threes were bookended by Perone lay-ups, and from there, CSI set things on cruise control. Playing with just six players, fatigue caught up to the Bearcats, as icy shooting and CSI’s dominance on the boards allowed the Dolphins to later take a 62-36 lead in the late stages of the third frame.
In the fourth quarter, a 12-0 run by CSI, highlighted by a personal seven-point tear from Flecker, ballooned the CSI lead to 80-46, before CSI settled for the 82-54 final.
Flecker led all CSI scorers with 15 points, adding a game-high 13 rebounds. Pasaturo notched 13 points and seven assists, while Pifalo garnered 12 points, along with Perone. Kennedy led all scorers for Baruch with 28 points on 13-27 shooting, adding 14 rebounds. CSI out-rebounded Baruch, 53-33, and were a 5 in turnovers. The Dolphins shot 40.5% for the game, while Baruch shot 38.7%, struggling from the arc, however, making just four of 23 attempts.
For the Dolphins, it was only their second win over Baruch in the last 17 games in the series dating back to 2005. It also marked CSI’s biggest win in the series since the team scored an 81-44 winner over the Bearcats back in 2002.
The Dolphins will be in action less than 48 hours from now, when they travel to face John Jay College in Manhattan on Thursday for a 5pm scheduled tip-off.
