The College of Staten Island women’s basketball team used a tremendous 27-4 run to close the third quarter and introduce the fourth, powering to an 84-62 road win over York College as part of CUNYAC play in Jamaica, NY, this evening. The spree helped lift CSI to 9-6 overall and 5-2 in the CUNYAC, while the Cardinals fell to 3-12, 1-6, respectively.
The Dolphins led for most of the way, and seemingly kept the Cardinals at bay for much of the game before the home squad rallied to take a modest least midway through the third stanza. That all changed when the Dolphins powered to their fateful run, adding a host of fast-break and transition points off of York turnovers. The run lasted 7:57 seconds, and when it was all said and done, the Dolphins had a 75-53 edge with 6:29 to play in the game, cruising to a win from there.
A couple of early Nicole Vierno baskets got CSI paced in the first stanza, helping CSI grab early leads before a 9-0 CSI run would end the final 3:37 of the frame, helping CSI to a healthy, 21-12, edge at the end of one period. Two lay-ups by Samantha Flecker aided the Dolphins, as did a three by Victoria Gallinaro. The teams parried from there for most of the second quarter. Late in the second stanza another three by Gallinaro and a fast break lay-in by Angelique Price gave CSI their biggest lead at 35-23, but an Angelika Ruggiano bucket with two seconds remaining in the frame cut CSI’s lead to 35-26 at the half.
That led to the fated third quarter, which swung like a pendulum. York quickly shed the lead down to six points, but another Vierno layup gave CSI back a 43-33 lead. It proved to be a turning point, however, as Vierno appeared to get injured on the play, and was forced to leave the game, not to return. With Vierno and her 15 points out of the game, York rallied, staking themselves to a 13-3 run over the next 2:25 of the game, as Samantha Bond dumped in a lay-in and a long three. Just over a minute later, Ruggiano put York ahead, 49-48 on a three pointer of her own from the top of the arc, giving York their first lead since the opening minute of the game.
CSI would then respond with their monster run. Flecker started things off with a clutch three-point play to put CSI back up by two, and then a three-pointer by Christina Pasaturo put CSI ahead by five. After a Cardinals miss, Price raced down to record an easy lay-up, and after two three-point misses by York, Flecker went the other way for another lay-up, giving CSI a 60-51 edge with 1:36 to go in the quarter. While York continued to stay cold, CSI added lay-ups by Jacqueline Cali and Price to end the frame with CSI on top, 64-51.
Much like the third quarter ended, CSI raced out to an 11-2 run to start the fourth quarter in the opening 3:31, essentially putting the game on ice. Flecker added another pair of lay-ups, while Pasaturo drilled another three, her third of the game on four attempts. CSI extended to as many as 24 points, before settling on the 84-62 final.
CSI shot a robust 56.5% for the game adding a 53.8% mark from beyond the arc (7-13), easily surpassing York’s 32.4% shooting night. The Dolphins got 15 points each from Pasaturo, Flecker, and Vierno, while Gallinaro and Price banked 14. Flecker led all Dolphins with 9 rebounds and a trio of steals. York was paced by Bond’s 24 points and got a huge 23-rebound effort from Jigcara Grant. York out-rebounded CSI, 47-35, and turnovers were even, at 21 apiece.
The Dolphins will get back to action on Friday, when they travel to face Medgar Evers College for a 6pm start in Brooklyn, NY.
