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.