Addison's 20 points leads Molloy past Bridgeport

By Patrick McCormack

Sophomore guard Ashley Addison scored a game-high 20 points and freshman forward Jessica DeNicola added 15 points and seven rebounds to lead visiting Molloy to a 62-52 win over Bridgeport at the Harvey Hubbell Gymnasium. Sophomore Christina Marra chipped in with 11 points for the Lions who improved to 2-7, 2-1 in ECC play.  

Addison was excited  about the win , “It felt great to win against a very good Bridgeport team especially coming off the loss we had at STAC. We know we can compete with anybody and everyone it was just time for us to prove it .” Addison said.

Molly coach Tim O’Hagan was impressed by Addison’s play. “Ashley did a nice job,” O’Hagan said. “We thought by putting the ball in her hands, good things would happen. She did well.”  

The Purple Knights led for much of the first half, but a 5-0 run by the Lions tied the score at 18. Molloy  The Lions would go ahead 25-24 when Marra hit a three with just 26 seconds left in the half. But, junior Ivy Morris answered for Bridgeport by nailing a jumper at the buzzer to give the Purple Knights a one-point lead at the half.

Trailing 31-24 early in the second half, the Lions when on a 9-0 run to take a lead that they would never lose. Marra scored five points during the run. Bridgeport fought hard, but never got any closer. A three by Marra with 4:42 left gave Molloy a commanding 55-46 lead.

Marra was excited with the team’s win. “This win feels great, and was well earned,” Marra said. “After that tough loss to STAC [St. Thomas Aquinas College], we picked up the intensity in practice, and came out today ready to play.”

Marra thought the Lions learned from the 14-point first half against St. Thomas Aquinas. “The loss to STAC was a huge wake-up call,” Marra said. “It made us realize that we could be playing with more heart, and could be working a lot harder. We don't want this to be a short season, by any means, and I think we proved a little bit of that today.”

After the lost to the St. Thomas Aquinas Coach O’Hagan thought the team needed to play their game. “I thought we had to get back to Molloy style basketball, and that is defensive tough basketball,” he said. “We had two very intense practices this week and they responded well.”

Molloy will return home on Saturday to face C.W. Post at 1 p.m.

DeNicola Named ECC Rookie of the Week for the second time this Season

By Patrick McCormack

Freshman Jessica DeNicola was named ECC for the second time this season. DeNicola had a great week for the Lions . On Wednesday she led the Lions with 21 points, including the game winner with 0.7 seconds left in the 73-71 win over Queens, and 11 rebounds . On Saturday she had a game -high 16-points in the Lions 61-49 loss to St . Thomas Aquinas.

DiNicola also lead the Lions with 11.4 points per game.

DiNicola was excited about getting this honor, "It feels really great and is a good accomplishment. It motivates me to keep me working harder and harder evry day so I can take my game to the next level." DiNicola said. "I couldn't do it without my amazing teammates and coaches who motivate me and help me be the best I can."

Molloy falls to STAC

By Patrick McCormack

Led by an offensive attack by sophomore Shprease Liharevic, who had a game high 16 points, and junior Brianna Sloper, who had 14 points, the St. Thomas Aquinas Spartans defeated the Molloy Lions 61-49, Saturday afternoon at Aquinas Hall on the campus of St.Thomas Aquinas College in Sparkill, New York.

The Spartans opened the game on a 21-5 run led by sophomore Leane Urbancik and Liharevic who each had six points and Sophomore Bianca Kowgios who had four poins. Liharevic would hit a three later in the half to give the Spartans their biggest lead of the half at 28-9. Molloy would end the half with a three pointer that beat the buzzer by Senior Caitlin Wheeler, who led the Lions with 7 points in the first half. At the half St.Thomas Aquinas led Molloy 30-14.

With 18:26 left in the second half, Sloper hit a lay up to give the Spartans their biggest lead of the game at 35-14. The Lions would fight back with a 13-2 run which was led by a pair of three pointers by sophomore Christina Marra and a three by senior Scarlett DemChak. This made it a 10-point game , 37-27. The Lions would get the Spartans lead to nine,40-31, on a lay up by sophomore Ashley Addison. But that is as close as the Lions would get.

For the Lions, Delmara Reece had another solid game on the boards as she grabbed a game high 16 rebounds, and freshman Jessica DeNicola had 16 points which was a tie for the game high.

With the loss the Lions fall to 1-7,1-1 in ECC Conference and will travel to Bridgeport on Wednesday to continue ECC play .
　
　

DeNicola's Buzzer Beater Lifts Molloy To First Victory

By Patrick McCormack

Freshman Jessica DeNicola’s basket with 0.7 on the clock lifted the Molloy to a 79-77 victory over visiting Queens College at Quealy Gymnasium. DeNicola scored 21 points as the Lions picked up their first win of the season. Delmara Reece added 18 points and 17 rebounds for Molloy.  

DeNicola was excited about helping her team to victory. “When the last play was going on, all I was thinking was that I have to put the ball in the basket,” DeNicola said. “Delmara gave me a great pass, and we worked together as a team, which is why we got the win. Winning our first game tonight is an unbelievable feeling. We did it with heart and teamwork. Everyone on our team came out with intensity and we worked together and got the win.”

The Lions got off to a rough start, but then used a 16-0 run to take 29-21 lead. The run was led by two three-pointers by sophomore Courtney Dolnick, and four points from both Reece and DeNicola.

Molloy came into the second half with a 44-32 lead and slowly saw their lead cut into by the Knights. With 8:37 left in the game, freshman Amanda Bartlett hit a lay up to cut the Lions lead to 58-57. But, the Lions would hang tough.

The game was a back-and-forth affair right to the finish. With 29.6 remaining, Queens freshman Christine Harnischfeger hit two foul shots to tie the game at 71. This set up the play that would get the Lions their first win of the year.

Reece, who scored eight points down the stretch, was excited her team got the victory. “It felt great,” she said. “Going 0-6 to start a season wasn't the greatest feeling. After every loss, I would have this knot in my stomach. I was relieves after tonight’s win, It’s the start of something new. The team and coaching staff worked really hard and we got what we deserved.”

Molloy head coach Tim O’Hagan was pleased with his team’s victory. “It’s been tough around here as far as getting into practice, It was also lingering on our shoulder we were 0-6 and struggling against the world. To persevere and get the win  the way we did I give the kids credit .”

With the win the Lions move to 1-6, 1-0 in ECC Conference play. Molloy will face St. Thomas Aquinas on the road Saturday at 1pm.

Lions Fall in both game at MIllersville Tip -Off

By Patrick McCormack

The Molloy  Lions fell to a 0-4 record this year, when they lost both games this weekend at Millersville Tip-Off. In game one, Molloy fell 72-58 to Millersville . Frershman Jessica DiNicola led the way for the Lions with 15-points and Sophomore guard Christina Marra scored 13-points for the Lions.

In the second game , The Lions lost 70-59 to West Chester.Sophomre Ashley Addison led the team with 15-poins and Christina Marra had a another good game scoring 14-points . Marra has done a nice job filling in for injuried Laura Rivera.

The Lions return to action on Saturday  when they take on Gannon University at the California University of Pennsylvania Thanksgiving Tournament in California, Pa.

Wheeler Becomes All-Time Blocks Leader

By : Patrick McCormack

During Saturday’s 73-61 loss versus   #14  Franklin Pierce , senior center Caitlin Wheeler became the school’s All-Time blocks leader, with 108, on her fourth block of the game .With that block she passed Jessica Hegmann ,who had 107-blocks in her career  when she played from 2000-2002. Wheeler achieved this in just her second season with the Lions and was excited about her record, “It was exciting to know that I broke a career record in less than two years, and have a whole season to solidify my record.” Wheeler said. Wheeler finished the game with a total of eight blocks and added three blocks in the loss to Stone Hill for a career total of 115-blocks.

Wheeler came over from CW Post last season and had an impressive first season with Molloy. She averaged 6.5 points , 5.8 rebounds ,and led the team with 104 blocks. Over the course of this season Wheeler wants to do the same things she did last year but wants to improve them a little, “I want to do everything I did last year, but better and more consistently. I want to be a prominent defender and scorer.”

Wheeler will look to add to her record in the Lions next game, which is Friday against Millersville in the latter’s tip-off tournament.  

DiNicola Named ECC Co-Rookie of the Week

By:Patrick McCormack

Freshman Jessica DeNicola ,from Long Island Lutheran High School, was named ECC Co-Rookie of the week on Monday. DeNicola  scored 21-points ,all in the second half , in  the 78-60 loss to Stone Hill on Sunday.

DeNicola was grateful for her early season award, “It feels really great and is something good to take into the start of the season.” DeNicola said, “I could not have done it without Coach Tim O’Hagan and the entire coaching staff pushing me and getting the best out of me in preseason so I would be ready for the season, and most of all I could not have done it without teammates faith and trust in me. All the hard work in practice when we push each other to get better every day.”

Lions Fall to Stone Hill in Second game of ECC/NE-10 Challange

By:Patrick McCormack

Stellar shooting by senior Emily Rousseau’s,who led all scorers with 34-points and shot 11-16 from the field,  led the Stone Hill Sky Hawks to a 78-60 victory over the Molloy Lions in the second game of the ECC/Ne-10 Challenge.

The Lions had their only lead early in the first half when  they led  11-9 on seven consecutive  points by senior Delmara Reese, who led the Lions in scoring in the first half with 12-points,  and back to back lay -ups by Sophmore guard Christina Marra.

It was a one basket game until after a Sky Hawk time out when they  went on a 15-0 run to go up 31-15. The Lions where able to cut into the Sky Hawk lead with five straight points by Reese, who finished with 14-points and 14-rebounds, at the half Stone Hill led Molloy  37-25.

In the second half Molloy was able to cut within six,48-42 on a 7-0 run which was led by freshman Jessica DeNicola , who scored 21-points in the second half. But Rousseau’s shooting was too much for the Lions . Her 21-points in the half opened up the game for the Sky Hawks as they cruised to win their second consecutive game this  season.

The Molloy Lions fall to 0-2 on the year but show they have a lot of talent. If DeNicola can play like she did versus Stone Hill, and Reece continues to play well the Lions will be fine going into ECC play. The injury to Junior Laura Rivera hurt the Lions . The team needs a point guard and Marra did a nice job filling in with nine points, five assists and two steals . All of the Lions minor problems will piece themselves together during the season. They lost to two great teams and played both teams well so when league play starts look for the Lions to be on top of the ECC.

The Lions will resume play versus Millersville in the latter’s tip –off tournament