The College of Staten Island women’s basketball squad rode the performance of its three outstanding seniors, to score an impressive, 84-62, win over visiting New York City College of Technology in a CUNYAC contest played earlier this afternoon at the Sports & Recreation Center. CSI Seniors Mallory Ameneiros, Danielle McLaughlin, and Kristen Panariello were honored in a pregame ceremony as part of Senior Day at the College, and the trio delivered by combining for nearly 50 points. The Dolphins improved to 12-10 overall and 9-3 in CUNYAC play, while NYCCT fell to 3-22, 1-12, respectively.
CSI led from start to finish and wasted no time getting out in front as Danielle McLaughlin put in back-to-back three-point baskets to open a 6-0 lead inside the first minute of play. McLaughlin was sensation from downtown, hitting on 8-for-13 from behind the arc, which included a 5-for-6 mark in the first half alone.
Meanwhile, CSI opened up a dominating 21-4 start to the game over the first 5:58, a run that featured a pair of inside drives and layups by freshman Katelyn Hepworth. With CSI complemented by only six players due to a recent rash of injuries, the Dolphins seemed to never miss a beat. A jumper by Denise Zajonc got the team their biggest lead at 8:11 to go in the first half, putting the Dolphins up 36-16. A couple of transition baskets each by Tempestt Casey and Ayana Cinque, reduced CSI’s lead to 14, 45-31, with 2:00 to play in the opening stanza, before CSI added a late basket to take a 47-31 lead into the lockers.
Not wanting a letdown, the Dolphins amped up the pressure in the second frame, and rolled out to a 19-4 run to start the frame, spearheaded by a trio of lay-ins from Panariello. The run gave CSI their biggest lead at 66-35 with 13:40 to play.
From there, the game pinballed back and forth for the next five minutes. Ultimately, with the game seemingly in hand, NYCCT used an 18-9 run to close the game to make the final 84-62.
CSI was led by McLaughlin’s 26 points, and the senior added five rebounds. Panariello notched 17 markers with five assists and five steals, while fellow senior Ameneiros poured in five points, three assists, and a pair of steals. Hepworth was equally outstanding, notching 20 points, 10 boards, and five assists. For the Yellow Jackets, the team was led by Casey’s 19 points and 15 rebounds, while teammate Christine Jackson poured in 15 points and 9 rebounds.
CSI has only one more game to play on the season, a makeup of Wednesday’s snow-out vs. Brooklyn College, on the road tomorrow at 3pm. The game will determine the CUNY Southern Division regular season championship. The win today insured that CSI will finish no lower than fourth in the CUNYAC overall standings, thus insuring a first round home game next Sunday to start the CUNYAC Postseason Championship.
A win by CSI over Brooklyn coupled with a City College of New York win over Hunter College tomorrow, would give CSI as high as the No. 2 seeding in the tourney. A win by CSI and a Hunter win would give the Dolphins the No. 3 seed, while a loss by CSI gives them the No. 4 seeding regardless of the Hunter-CCNY result.