The College of Staten Island women’s basketball team got off to a sizable early lead, then used their defense the rest of the way to seal a 74-54 road win over st. Joseph’s College of Long Island this evening in Patchogue, NY. The Dolphins’ win sent them to 10-4 overall, while the Golden Eagles fell to 5-9.
Travel woes for CSI led to the game being delayed by one-half hour, but when play did start the Dolphins certainly did not seem fazed. After surrendering the first basket of the game, the Dolphins then proceeded to rip off the next 17 points in three minutes, opening up a huge lead and never looking back from there. The run featured six points each from juniors Samantha Flecker and Angelique Price.
Consecutive jumpers by Christina Pasaturo and Victoria Crea gave CSI a 22-3 lead later in the first quarter before an Alicia Indence three stopped the bleeding and cut the CSI lead to 24-6 at the break.
With CSI up by a bunch, the Dolphins let their defense dictate from there. Still, back-to-back three’s by Jackie Zizzo, got the Eagles back into play, 28-18 with 4:04 to go till the half, but CSI stayed the course, burying four free-throws before Flecker hit buzzer-beating three to give CSI the 35-21 halftime edge.
After trading baskets and stops to open the second half, the Dolphins once again got up comfortably when Pasaturo buried a three to make it 53-32 with 4:02 to go in the third. The Dolphins would keep the lead this time, taking a 21-point lead into the fourth quarter on another Price bucket to end the frame.
A 12-3 run for CSI to start the fourth, sparked by five more Pasaturo points would then give CSI their biggest lead at 71-41 with 4:36 and the Dolphins were on cruise control from there. Despite a 13-3 run by the Eagles to end the final minutes, CSI was able to score the 20-point victory.
The Dolphins shot 48.2% for the game, holding the Eagles to just 30.9%, while forcing 19 Eagles turnovers, good for a +9 in that category. Flecker led all Dolphins with 22 points and 9 rebounds. Pasaturo logged 20 points with seven assists and seven rebounds. Price was the other Dolphin in double figures, posting 18 points. Zizzo led all Eagles players with 30 points on 10-21 shooting, a mark that included 9 three pointers in 17 tries. Andrea Iavarone posted 12 points and an incredible 17 rebounds.
Now on a two-game win streak on the road, CSI will get back to the road on Wednesday, when they travel to face Hunter College for a 5pm tip-off, resuming CUNYAC play.
