Women’s Basketball Loses Heart-breaker to NYIT

MERCY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL LOSES HEART-BREAKER TO NYIT 74-7
The Mercy College women’s basketball team lost a heart-breaking 74-70 decision to NYIT today at the Mercy College Gymnasium on Alumni Day. This marks the end of the 2009-10 season for both teams. NYIT finishes at 4-23 overall, 4-17 in the East Coast Conference, while the Mavericks also finish with a 4-23 record, but with a 3-18 ECC mark.

Leading the way for the Mavericks was Delmara Reece (Yonkers, N.Y./Saunders), who grabbed 17 of her 25 rebounds in the first half. Reece, who is ranked eighth in the NCAA in rebounding, also scored 20 points.

Madison Roberts paced the Bears with 27 points and 12 caroms.

Both teams struggled offensively early, until Mercy’s Courtney Cochran (Wilmington, Del./St. Elizabeth) opened the scoring with a short jumper at the 18:07 mark. The game was a back-and-forth affair, with the mavericks taking the largest lead of the half – six points – when Simone Williams (Waldorf, Md./Waldorf) made a great defensive play to steal the ball, then went the length of the floor for the easy points, all with 8:42 to play. NYIT would rally, and at the end of the first 20 minutes, the score was tied at 34. In all, the lead changed hands 14 times, and was tied thrice.

In the second half, NYIT got off to a hot start, taking an 11-point lead just six minutes into the half, before Mercy rallied. Simone Williams scored seven consecutive points to get the Mavs close, and the game remained tight again.

With one minute to play in regulation, Ashley Borofsky (Southington, Conn./Southington) drained a jumper to tie the score for the eighth time at 70-70. Alex Beaumont Tyson put NYIT back up with 42 seconds remaining, which put the ball back in Mercy’s hands.

Kaitlin Jetter (Ozone Park, N.Y./Archbishop Molloy) missed a three-pointer with 29 seconds to go. But the Mavericks fought on. With 13 seconds to go, Jetter capitalized and stole a loose ball and gave Mercy new life. A last second shot by Borofsky from inside the paint was amiss, and NYIT’s Roberts came down with the rebound. She was fouled, and hit both free throws for the 74-70 final.

For the game, Simone Williams tallied 20 points, four assists and five steals. Jasmine Williams (Stratford, Conn./Greens Farms Academy) added ine and Borofsky seven.