The College of Staten Island women’s basketball team left little to doubt on the road tonight, scoring a lop-sided, 75-53, winner over Hunter College at the Hunter Sportsplex in Manhattan. The win was the third straight for the Dolphins and improved the team to 11-4 overall and 6-1 in the CUNYAC. The Hawks dropped to 8-7, 4-3, respectively.
Both teams came out sharp in the opening quarter, and the team’s split the first 10 points before CSI gained a little momentum. A Samantha Flecker lay-up then started an 11-1 CSI run that ran nearly five minutes. Victoria Crea canned a couple of lay-ups in the run while Christina Pasaturo nailed a three. Hunter shook off the poor shooting to cut the lead, but CSI was still able to score a 22-13 lead after one stanza.
Hunter was able to get off to a fast start in the second quarter, and a Theresa Leung three-point play was able to cut CSI’s lead to just 22-20 with 7:52 left in the half. Unfortunately for the Hawks, CSI woke up again in the second quarter and the visiting Dolphins were able to cushion their lead. Angelique Price was able the score on a lay-up that started a 15-0 run for the Dolphins. Both Flecker and Pasaturo scored a pair of baskets, with Pasaturo dumping in a three that blossomed the lead. Up 37-20, CSI was able to stay neck-and-neck from there with the home team, turning in a 44-29 halftime edge.
It proved to be more than enough for CSI, which came out of the locker room just as strong as they entered. Up by 15, the Dolphins ramped up their defensive presence, and Hunter was unable to score for the first 4:12 of the frame as the Dolphins built a 52-29 edge, capped by a Flecker three. The Dolphins would end up holding the Hawks to just 9 points in the frame as CSI assumed a 59-38 edge after three quarters.
Up comfortably, CSI and Hunter played relatively even basketball in the final stanza. The Dolphins would go up by as many as 28 points, before the Hawks finished crisper en route to the 75-53 final.
CSI was led by both Flecker and Pasaturo’s 21 points. Flecker added a team high 11 rebounds, while Pasaturo registered a team-high five assists. Hunter was paced by Ashley Arias’ 14 points and 11 rebounds while Leung finished with 11 points. CSI shot 45% for the game, holding Hunter to just a 32.8% clip. The Dolphins won the rebounding advantage, 42-36.
The Dolphins will next return home on Saturday, January 14, when they host Brooklyn College at the Sports & Recreation Center at 1pm.
