By Aidan Mastandrea
Staff Writer
The College’s women’s basketball team defeated the Ramapo Roadrunners 61-49 in the first leg of the men and women’s double header on Feb. 9, improving to 10-11 on the season.
The Lions came out hot, hitting five three-pointers in the first period — including three by freshman guard and speech pathology and audiology major, Nina Branchizio. The effort from Branchizio helped the College gain a 24-7 lead after the first quarter.
But neither team made up much ground in the second quarter, as the Lions went into the locker room at halftime, up 33-19.
Ramapo did not stay quiet.
A three point play by freshman guard Olivia Johnstone cut the Lions’ lead to seven with 2:45 left in the third quarter — which forced the Colleges’ coach Chessie Jackson to call a timeout.
The Lions’ lead was as small as three at one point, but a three-pointer by Branchizio helped to halt the bleeding. Another three by junior guard and business management major Julia Setaro right before the buzzer gave the College a nine point lead on the way into the final quarter.
Branchizio and Setaro led the scoring for the Lions with 15 and 13 points, respectively.
The Roadrunners never cut the Lions lead below six in the fourth quarter. A three-pointer as the shot clock expired — shot by junior forward and marketing major Morgan Heller — put the dagger in the game for the Lions as they cruised the rest of the way to a 61-49 win.
The Lions look to keep the momentum going as they prepare to play at William Patterson on Saturday, and then wrap up the regular season at home against Rutgers-Newark on Wednesday.
