The College of Staten Island women’s basketball team kept the streak alive tonight with their first win over William Paterson since 2008. The Dolphins used stout defense to pick up the 79-58 win over the Pioneers to extend their win streak to six and 8-1 on the year. The loss is the third in the last four games for William Paterson which dropped them to 5-4 overall.
Samantha Flecker played a huge role in the Dolphins’ sixth straight win tonight. Flecker poured in a season-high 22 points on 10-of-18 shooting from the floor while tallying seven steals and three rebounds. Christina Pasaturo started the game on an iceberg but was able to recover to the tune of 23 points on 7-of-21 shooting from the floor while pacing the way with a season-high eight assists. Victoria Crea was successful from the floor tonight, shooting 50% and adding 13 points with five assists. Diana Todaro once again played limited minutes but was effective, totaling seven rebounds, five points, four steals, and one block.
It was the Pioneers who first found the bottom of the net in tonight’s contest, taking a 4-0 lead early in the first quarter. The Dolphins would respond with a 14-2 run to take a 14-6 lead with 3:07 left in the first quarter. Crea was able to weave through the lane and lay one in to give the Dolphins that lead. Defense was the focus for the Dolphins tonight as they forced 41 turnovers. Staten Island was able to capitalize off of those turnovers as they would go on to score 39 points. Flecker extended the Dolphins’ lead to 10 at the start of the second quarter but the Pioneers were able to regain the lead with 1:35 remaining in the half when CeCe Green laid one off of the glass.
Down one, Rosa Perone would make a strong move to the basket to convert the and-one to go to the line. Perone would squander her chance from the charity stripe but would make it up on the defensive end with one of her three blocks on the night to keep the lead in the Dolphins’ favor heading into the locker room.
Julie Rovito had a tough night as she turned the ball over 16 times due to the constant pressure she was under. Tori Woetzel shined for the Pioneers with 21 points, however, it wasn’t enough to lift her team past the surging Dolphins. Through the third quarter, the Dolphins would float around a double-digit lead as neither team was able to go on a run to create any separation between the two. It wasn’t until the fourth quarter that the Dolphins were able to blow the game open. Staten Island would outscore the Pioneers 21-9 in the fourth.
A 14-1 run to begin the fourth quarter was not how the Pioneers envisioned the final quarter of play going. The Dolphins made the most of their opportunities as they were able to find space in the paint and convert their shots. William Paterson was unable to comeback from their deficit to drop their third game in their last four outings.
The Dolphins won’t return to action until December 27 when they host NJCU for another non-conference game.
GAME VIDEO
