Bartlett Receives All-ECC Honors

Molloy graduate guard Amanda Bartlett was named to the first team All-East Coast Conference team for the fourth time in her stellar college basketball career.

“It is a great accomplishment to receive all conference honors all four years and have the respect from other coaches and players.” Bartlett said.

This was Bartlett’s first season with the Lions, and she showed to be a top player in the ECC. This season Bartlett, led the Lions with 16.8 points per game, and lead the team in free throw percentage, 85.4 percent.

This season Bartlett also set and tied many school records. She holds the school record for three pointers in a game with eight, she also tied the school record for points in a game,37, three point percentage per game,.667%, and fouls shots made in a game,14.

Bartlett has achieved many individual accomplishments during her career but her favorite moment was a team achievement that came when she was a sophomore at Queens College. “My favorite moment in college was winning the ECC conference championship my sophomore year. It is something I will never forget.” In this game Bartlett lead all scorers with 27 points.

With all her success, Bartlett says former Queens Head Coach Tom Flahive has impacted her the most in her college career. “The person who made the biggest impact on me in college was Coach Flahive from Queens. He offered me the opportunity to play for him and pushed me to always get better and be the best.”

Bartlett and Dreyer Honored at Senior Day

One Saturday before the Molloy Lions loss to the C.W. Post Pioneers,the Lions honored forward Molly Dreyer and guard Amanda Bartlett as part of Senior Day at Quealy Gymnasium .

Dreyer has been a member of the Lions for four seasons.

“My time at Molloy has been amazing. I've been able to play with very different teams all four years and I really made some amazing friends.” Dreyer said

 Dreyer said her favorite moment as a Lions was her sophomore year when the Lions won the ECC title. That season she played in 26 games , where she averaged 1.1 point per game and 1.2 rebounds per game.

During her freshman and sophomore seasons she was able to play with her sister EJ. “My favorite person to play with would have to be my older sister EJ. We were able to have two years together one of which was the year we won the conference championship. She really taught me a lot on and off the court and it was a great time.” Dreyer said.

Molly sat out most of her junior campaign with a shoulder injury. She has returned to the Lions,this season where  she has started 17 games. Key games from Dreyer this season was in the victory against Post College where she had a double-double,10 points and 12 rebounds, and the season opener against Merrimack where she scored 10 points and grabbed four rebounds.

This was Amanda Bartlett first season with the Lions after transferring fromQueens College. Bartlett has enjoyed her time with Molloy and playing with new teammates . “I never thought I'd be able to say the girls on Molloy would be my friends since I played against them for years but since I have been here I've gained lifelong friends and they are all amazing people.” Bartlett said.

This season Bartlett has started all 26 games with the Lions. She  is leading the Lions in scoring, averaging 17.1 points per game, and minutes played, 34.7 per game.

During her time with Molloy Bartlett has broken school records. In the team’s 78-45 win over Queens, Bartlett set a school record with eight three pointers. That same game she tied the school’s single game record with 36 points and helped a team record of 12 threes in a game be tied.

Another memorable game for Bartlett was in the team’s 56-51 victory over Dowling, she scored her 2000 point a huge milestone in any college basketball players career. “Going into college in 2007 I never thought in a million years I would be able to say I would have over 2000 career points,” Bartlett said. “ It's a great accomplishment and I'm honored to have achieved it as a Molloy lion. Coach O'Hagan is a great coach and has taught me so many things in my short time here at Molloy.”

Even though Bartlett has done numerous things to help her team win on the court her favorite moment with the team was something they did off the court.

“My favorite memory with the team would have to be doing a cancer walk for Jackie. They held it at the Long Island Ducks Stadium and it was one of the coldest nights of the year raining and sleeting the entire time but it was an awesome experience I will never forget.” Bartlett said.

Bartlett and Dreyer and the rest of the Lions return to action in the ECC tournament. The opponent will be named at a later date. 

Molloy Beats Dowling in the Battle of the Lions

By Patrick McCormack

Ashley Addison’s three with under two minutes left in regulation gave the Molloy Lions the lead for good, as they went on to defeat the Dowling Golden Lions 56-51, Wednesday at Quealy Gymnasium on the Campus of Molloy College. With the win Molloy improves to 11-13, 7-7 in ECC play.

Addison, who led all scorers with 16 points, was confident in her play and happy her team picked up the victory. “It felt great to get this win tonight against the number one team in our conference. It brought our spirits up after the tough loss on Saturday,” Addison said. “I felt very confident when I took the shot ( that gave the Lions the lead), it's the type of shot the team and myself work on in practice all the time.”

Dowling got out to an early 5-2 lead, on five points from senior Sarah Schicher. The Lions would regain the lead,8-5, with a 6-0 run. With Lions up 11-10, Dowling would regain the lead with a three from senior Kelly Puwalski. Dowling would make this lead eight, 22-14, when sophomore Julia Koppl hit a three. But the Lions would come back, they cut the lead to two, 25-23, when graduate guard Amanda Bartlett hit a three and would tie the game with a jumper from junior Ikema Ross. Dowling would answer with a three from Puwalski to go up 28-25. In the winding seconds of the half junior Julia Finlay hit a three for Molloy to tie the game. At the half the game was knotted at 28.

Molloy started the second half on a 7-0 run to go up 35-28. With Molloy ahead 39-33, the Golden Lions went a 9-0 run to take a 42-39 lead. With the Golden Lions ahead 44-43, sophomore Jessica DeNicola hit a layup to give Molloy a one point advantage,45-44. Dowling responded with a three from Koppl and then on its next possession a three from freshman Christine Verrelle to go up 50-44. Molloy would respond with a three from Addison and on the next trip Ross would score to tie the game at 50. This lad to Addison’s shot that put Molloy ahead for good.

The Lions wrap up their ECC schedule on Wednesday when they travel to the University of the District of Columbia. 

Molloy Beats Bridgeport

Led by 13 points from graduate guard Amanda Bartlett, The Molloy Lions defeated the Bridgeport Purple Knight 56-54, at Quealy Gymnasium on the campus of Molloy College in Rockville Centre, New York.   With the win the Lions improve to 10-12,6-6 in ECC play with the victory. Sophomore forward Jessica DeNicola added a double-double, 11 points and 11 rebounds, for the Lions.

DeNicole gives credit her team’s defense and rebounding led them to victory. “It was extremely important to keep them off the boards and box out so we could eliminate second shots. We played point zone which was very successful and it was important for the middle person to step up when the guards were driving in the paint,” DeNicola said. “Everyone communicated and talked on defense and we played together and got important stops and rebounds when we needed them.”

Molloy opened up an early 7-2 lead. Then later in the half they extended their lead to nine,15-6, when DeNicola hit a layup. The Purple Knights would cut this lead to four,18-14, when freshman Jenna Hoffman knocked down a three. The Lions would open up a ten point lead, 27-17, when junior Julia Finlay knocked down a triple. This lead would increase to twelve, 29-17, when DeNicola hit a layup. Bridgeport would add four points before the end of the half. At the end of the half, Molloy led 29-21.

In the second half, the Lions would open up a twelve point lead, 37-25, when junior Laura Rivera hit a layup. With the Lions ahead 39-30, Bridgeport would score five straight points to make it a 39-35 game. Bridgeport would make it a three point game, 42-39, when Hoffman hit a three. The Lions responded with a 7-0 run, led by five points from freshman Nicole Arnone. With the score 51-42, Bridgeport would go on an 8-0 run to make it a 51-50 game. The Lions would respond with a three from Arnone, who had all 12 of her points in the second half. Bridgeport would make it 554-53 with a three from senior Edna Marant. With the score 56-54 and 2.8 seconds left Bridgeport had the ball senior Julia Colley missed a layup off the back rim. This secured the win for the Lions.

This win moved the Lions into the sixth and final playoff spot  in the ECC standings with four games left.

Molloy coach Tim O’Hagan was happy with the win. “This game enabled us  to live another day . The win really kept our playoff hopes alive,” O’Hagan said. “I thought the defense really kept them off balance all night and Nicole Arnone hit some big shots in the end which help us get the win.”

The Lions return to action Wednesday night when they host the Dowling Lions.

High Powered Offense Leads Molloy past Mercy

BY Patrick Mccormack

Led by 23 points from junior guard Ashley Addison the Molloy Lions defeated the Mercy Mavericks 93-73 at Mercy Gymnasium on the campus of Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, New York. Junior Ikema Ross added a double-double, 12 points and 14 rebounds, for the Lions.

Ross saw the importance rebounding in the Lions second straight win. “It feels great to win back to back games  after dropping five straight,” Ross said. “It is very important to rebound are coach can’t stress that enough. Every practice he enforces how crucial it is to rebound and the last two games we did exactly that and it paid off big time. If we continue as a whole to rebound the way we have in the last two games than there are more wins to come.”

The Lions led 8-7 early, but Mercy came back with four consecutive free throws to take an 11-8 lead. The Lions would tie the game at 13, when  sophomore Jessica DeNicola, who had 11 points, hit a layup. With Mercy up 17-16, junior Julia Finlay, who had 15 points, knocked down a triple to give the Lions the lead. Then after Mercy tied it at 19, Finlay knocked down another three to put the Lions up 22-19. The Lions would take a five point24-19, lead when  graduate guard Amanda Bartlett, who scored 20 points, knocked down a pair of free throws. The Lions would go up nine, 33-24, when Addison hit a three. On the next trip down the floor, Bartlett hit a jumper to give the Lions a double- digit lead, 35-24. Then later in the half the Lions went up 12,46-34, when freshman Nicole Arnone hit a layup. At the half the Lions led Mercy 48-40.

The Lions opened up the second on a 12-0 run to go up 20,60-40, led by six points from Addison. This put the game out of reach as the Mavericks had no response for the Molloy offense, which had five players in double figures.

Lions coach Tim O’Hagan liked the way his offense played it the victory. “I feel we are starting to shoot it better as a group, when the ball goes in everything looks better,” O’Hagan said. “When we put the team together we really thought this was going to be our strong point that we can really shoot it. Things didn't start that way hopefully this is a sign of things to come.”

The Lions return to action on Wednesday when they host the Bridgeport Knights. 

Bartlett's Record Setting Day Leads Lions over Knights

By Patrick Mccormack

 

Led by a record setting performance by graduate guard Amanda Bartlett, who hit a Molloy single game record eight threes and tied a single game record in points, with 36 points, the Molloy Lions defeated the Queens College Knights 78-45 in an ECC match up held at Quealy Gymnasium on the campus of Molloy College. Junior guard Ashley Addison added 19 points for the Lions, and with the win they ended a five game losing streak. 

Bartlett, the reigning ECC Player of the week, saw the importance of this showdown coming in. “Getting the win against Queens was extremely important to help us get our confidence back going into the second half of ECC play, Bartlett said. “Some of our biggest problems this year have been rebounding and consistent offense. We did much better in both categories against Queens and we need to continue improving to be successful.”

The Knights started  with an early 5-2 lead, Molloy responded with a 14-2 run of their own , led by seven points from Bartlett, to go up 16-7. With the score 16-10, Molloy went on a 11-2 run to extend their lead to 15,27-12. Molloy gained their biggest lead of the half 23,44-21, when red –shirt junior Molly Dreyer knocked down a jumper. Going into the half Molloy held a 44-22 lead.

The second half was all Lions, with the score 54-30 Bartlett came down the floor and tied the single game record with her sixth three of the game. On the next trip down the floor Bartlett knocked down her seventh  three of the game to give the Lions a 60-30 lead.

Bartlett was happy to be a part of Lions history and finds it a little more special that it was done against her former team. “It's an honor to be part of Molloy College history in setting both the individual and team records and feels great to have done it against my old team.”

 This was part of a 12-0 run which was capped off by a three by junior Julia Finlay, who tied the previous three point record which was six the game before, this gave the Lions their biggest lead of the game 36,66-30.

Finlay enjoyed her record while it lasted and was happy for her teammate. “Well as we know records are made to be broken and mine was broken three days later by Barty (Bartlett). So it felt great for three whole days,” Finlay said. “Amanda was literally on fire against Queens, if I was going to lose the title to anyone I’m happy it was her because she is an unbelievable shooter.”

Later in the half, the Lions team record for three pointers in a game was tied when red-shirt junior Laura Rivera knocked down  the team’s twelfth of the game, to make it 76-44. 

With the win the Lions improve to 8-11,4-5 in ECC play. The Lions return  to action Wednesday when they travel to Mercy College. 

Finlay Ties Single game Three Point Record

Molloy junior Julia Finlay’s six three point baskets in Molloy’s 61-49 loss to the University of the District of Columbia tied Randi Bender single game record she achieved in the 2007-08 season, were she achieved this mark twice, once versus Mercy College  the next versus Concordia College.

Finlay, who had a team 18 points, knocked down five triples in the first half included the shot that  tied the game at 23.

Finlay knew she was going to have a good night after she saw the defense the Firebirds were playing. “I had it was a feeling it was going to be a good night for all our shooter’s when they were playing zone. I love when teams play zone, it’s a three point shooters dream! But yeah after the first one it felt like it was going to be a good night I just felt calm and in the zone.” Finlay said.

Finlay tied the record in the second half when she nailed her sixth trifecta. This jumper made the score 48-39 but that was as close as the Lions were to get in the second half.