The College of Staten Island women’s basketball squad battled back to make things interesting in an exciting fourth quarter, but it was ultimately Brooklyn College that came away with a 63-57 win at the West Quad Arena in Brooklyn in a game that pit the CUNYAC’s last two undefeated sides together.  The Bulldogs improved to 8-4 overall and 5-0 in conference play, while, CSI fell to 7-5, 3-1, respectively.

Brooklyn led the entire way in this one, but the home squad was unable to fully shake the Dolphins, who kept battling in time to make for an exciting finish.  Before that though, BC raced out to an early 9-0 lead over the game’s first three and a half minutes.  Olivia Colbert got the drive started in it was finished by Karen Mak.  Brooklyn later grabbed its first double-digit lead at 14-4, before CSI came to life.  Three straight Christina Pasaturo buckets fueled CSI, and the Dolphins were able to close the quarter on an 8-2 run to pull to within 16-12 at the first break.

A three-point basket by Samantha Flecker whittled the BC lead down to 16-15 early in the second, but Brooklyn proceeded on a 9-0 run to answer and go up by a large amount again, as CSI went 0-5 with four turnovers over the next five minutes.  BC ultimately went up by as many as 13, 32-19 with 2:17 left, before the visitors were able to close to 34-25 at intermission.  

A Colbert layup in the third stanza pulled Brooklyn to a 41-29 edge with 6:29 left, but again, CSI resurrected its game, and a 9-2 CSI run over the next six minutes pulled CSI back, as Victoria Gallinaro drained a three and Nicole Vierno powered to an inside drive.  A big three-pointer by Alexandra Jacques was a nice response by BC right before the end of the third, as BC took a 46-38 lead into the final 10 minutes.

Again Brooklyn took the first big steps of the quarter, going up by double-figures again, the final time on a Twanda Holder bucket at 6:44.  Flecker then drained a jumper for CSI, and after both teams went through a cold stretch, Jacqueline Cali nailed a three-pointer, and after a BC turnover Gallinaro buried another to cut the lead to 52-50 with just 4:36 to go.  CSI then had its chances, but could not capitalize on four straight possessions that could have either tied the game or given them the lead, and the next basket to score was a big three-point bomb by Gallagher to make it 55-50, with just 2:22 left.

Gallagher added another layup before CSI would respond, nut two free-throws by Mak for BC with under a minute left seemed to put the game out of reach at 59-52.  CSI refused to go quietly, however, and Pasaturo answered with a three at: 29 to make it a 60-57 game.  Mak made a free-throw but CSI would then miss two three’s and BC was able to ice the game at the line from there.

A struggling CSI shot just 33.3% from the field, 23% from beyond the arc, and just 33% from the charity stripe (3-9).  BC responded by shooting 42% from the field and enjoyed a 47-35 rebound advantage.  CSI countered by forcing 27 Brooklyn turnovers.  The Dolphins were led by Pasaturo’s 18 points to go with eight rebounds and seven assists.  Gallinaro turned in 15 points before fouling out, while Flecker finished with 13 points and six boards.  BC was led by the monster performance of Colbert, who powered to 20 points and 21 rebounds.

CSI will continue their CUNYAC slate of games on Tuesday, when they host City College of New York at 5:30pm.