Player Profile: # 13 Courtney Dolnick

By Patrick McCormack

Courtney Donick is a sophomore at Molloy College and has won at all levels . Two summers ago she participated in the Macabi games in Israel and won the gold medal with team USA. The next winter, she hit a three pointer at the buzzer to lead her high school team, Cypress Bay in Florida, to the district championship, and last year she was a member of the Molloy Lions team that won the ECC. Dolnick scored her season high in points Saturday versus Dowling , a game in which she scored 12 points. This season she is averaging 5.1 points per- game and 1.4 assists per- game

High School: Cypress Bay, Fl

Major: Communications

Favorite moment at Molloy : winning the conference championship and going to the NCAA tournament as a freshman.

Best game at Molloy : Game against American International. A game in which she scored nine points in seven minutes off the bench which sparked the Lions  to a 61-57 win.

Favorite moment in high school: Winning the district championship game.

How was it playing and winning the Macabi games in Israel: Playing in Israel was the best experience of my life, and actually going there and taking the gold medal was such a feeling of accomplishment.

Favorite moment in basketball: Hitting the buzzer beater shot to beat South Broward in our district championship game.

Favorite athlete: Candace Parker

Favorite sports team: Miami Hurricanes

Why do you wear number 13: I wear number 13 because everyone else thinks it’s an unlucky number.

When you are not on the court what do you like to do : Outside of ball I like to hang out with my friends and family and watch movies.

Dowling defeats Molloy

By Patrick McCormack

Led by junior Sarah Schicher, who had a game high 20 points, the Dowling Golden Lions defeated the Molloy Lions 58-51, Saturday afternoon at Quealy Gym on the campus of Molloy College . Freshman Julia Koppl added 16 points and 10 rebounds for Dowling. Sophomore Courtney Dolnick led Molloy with 12 points. With the loss Molloy fell to 4-8 in ECC play.

Dowling jumped out to an early 11-3 lead to start the game. Later in the half Dolnick hit a three pointer to cap a 9-2 Lions run to cut the Dowling lead to 21-20. Koppl would hit a three for Dowling to give them a 26-20 lead and at the half Dowling led 29-23.

In the second half, Ikema Ross, who had her best game of the season with Molloy with 10 points and eight rebounds, hit a foul shot to cut the Golden Lion lead to 33-31. But the Golden Lions would respond with a 10-0 run to open up a 43-31 lead. Ross hit a jumped to cut the Golden Lion lead to 54-50,but the Golden Lions were able to seal the game at the foul line and hold on for the win.

Molloy returns to action tomorrow when they host Mercy College in an ECC match up.

Player Profile :# 23 Scarlett Demchak

By Patrick McCormack

 Molloy senior Scarlett Demchak is the only active player to be a part of the two teams in school history that have won the ECC and played in the NCAA tournament. This season, she took over the starting point guard position when Laura Rivera went down with a knee injury . Demchak has done a nice job filling in for Rivera. She is averaging 3.3 points per-game and a team leading 3.0 assists per-game. Demchak also scored the game winning basket in the Lions 58-56 win over Mercy on January 5^th.

High school: Calhoun

Major: Childhood education

Favorite moment at Molloy: Winning both championships was a great accomplishment for the Molloy team

How did it feel to win the ECC in 2008 and 2010 : There is no better feeling than winning . It was an honor to play with so many skilled players and I learned so much from them. They showed the true definition of what it means to play with heart and always put up a battle.

What did you learn from the 2008 and 2010 teams: I've learned to always give my all and never back down on Defense because when the offense isn't flowing, the defense has to always be there. It was a collaborative effort among the players and coaches.

Best high school basketball moment: making it to the playoffs.

Clubs and honors in high school: Athletes Helping Athletes, leadership program, SADD

Favorite Athlete: Rajon Rondo and Michael Jordan

Favorite sports teams: New York Yankees and Boston Celtics

Greer's Double - Double Leads Post past Molloy

By Patrick McCormack

Lead by senior guard Shamita Greer’s double- double , 16 points  and 11 rebounds , the C.W. Post Pioneers  defeated the Molloy Lions 49-41 Saturday afternoon at the Pratt Recreation Centre on the campus of C.W. Post University. Ashley Addison led the Lions with 12 points in the loss . With the loss the Lions fell to 4-7 in ECC play.

C.W. Post jumped out to an early 9-3 lead. But the Lions would respond with a 17-2 run,led by six points from Addison and five points from senior forward Caitlin Wheeler , which gave the Lions a 20-14 lead . C.W. Post ended the half on a 5-0 run. At the end of the first half the Lions led C.W. Post 20-19.

The Pioneers went ahead 26-25, when Greer, who scored 12 of her 16 points in the second half , hit a layup. The Pioneers  were able to extend their lead to eight , 43-35 when Ashley Caggiano hit a three-pointer . This three put the game away for the Pioneers as they held on to win.

The Lions return to action Wednesday evening when they play the Mercy Mavericks at Quealy Gym on the campus of Molloy College .

Reece Records Two Big MIlestones this Season with Molloy

By Patrick McCormack

Going into the 2010-11 season, graduate student Delmara Reece needed just 10 points to reach the 1,000-point milestone. It didn’t take long for her to hit the mark, as she scored a game-high 19 points in the season opener against Franklin Pierce University.

Reece, a transfer from Mercy College, was grateful she achieved this goal as a Lion. “Getting my 1,000 career points felt great, but what made it even better was getting it at Molloy, and sharing that moment with players and coaches that care that much about it,” Reece said,. “This was probably one of my biggest accomplishments in basketball. I'm glad I got the chance to share it with the Molloy family.”

Reece also came in to the season needing 49 rebounds to get 1000 for her career. She grabbed number 1000 when the Lions played Gannon in California, PA. Needing only four rebounds, she pulled down six in the 66-51 defeat. Reece is second in the ECC in rebounding, with an average of 10.4 per game. She has a team high five double-doubles.

Reece has enjoyed her time at Molloy this season and has fit in. “My time at Molloy, on and off the court, has been really great! I couldn't ask for anything more than this,” Reece said. “At Molloy, it’s like a family and for me that's a major plus to be able to rely on someone. I’m really happy with that.”

The Lions are struggling this year at 4-12, 4-6 in ECC play, but Reece feels her team will get things turned around. “I see the season ending in a very positive direction,” Reece said. “Once we start clicking, I think we will end the season really good. A lot of people will be surprised because of the way we started off.”

Late run leads Bridgeport past Molloy

By Patrick McCormack

Led by a late seond half run, the Bridgeport Purple Knights defeated the Molloy Lions 51-40 , Wenesday Night at Quealy Gym on the campus of Molloy College . The Purple Knights were led by senoir Elinoir Avny,  who scored 16 of her 22 points in the second half. The Lions were led by sophomore guard Ashley Addison who had 11 points . With the loss the Lion fell to 4-12,4-6 in ECC play .

Bridgeport jumped out to an early 7-0 lead to start the game . The Lions responed with a 10-2 run to cut the Bridgeport lead to two. Bridgeport was able to keep their lead throughout the half and led 22-19 going into the half.

In the second half, the Purple Knights opened up a 30-23 lead on a Julia Colley jumper . Later in the half, sophomre guard Christina Marra hit a three pointer to cap a Molloy 7-0 run ,which  tied the game at 30. After that the Purple Knights went on a 15-4 run to put away the game .

The Lions return to action Saturday afternoon when they travel to CW Post.

Late Rally Lifts Molloy past Queens

By Patrick McCormack

Freshman Jessica DeNicola scored 20 points, 16 in the second half, and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead visiting Molloy to a 69-62 victory over Queens at Fitzgerald Gymnasium on the campus of Queens College. Sophomore Ashley Addison added 19 points for Molloy which improved to 4-5 in ECC play. Amanda Bartlett scored a game-high 23 points to lead Queens. 

DeNicola was happy to get the victory. “It feels awesome to get a win,” DeNicola said. “This is a great confidence booster for us. We can only go up from here. We worked hard and played together. The key to the second half was having urgency and grabbing every single rebound. Also, the intensity and energy was picked up.”

Queens opened up a 46-35 lead in the second half when Caitlin Hopkins hit a three-pointer. The Knights shot 12-for-40 from three-point range. Molloy responded with a 15-2 run, led by six points by DeNicola, to take a 50-48 lead.

The lead changed hands a few times before DeNicola hit a jumper to give the Lions a 58-56. Senior Scarlett Demchak, who scored a season-high 10 points, hit five foul shots down the stretch to seal the win for the Lions.

It looked like the Knights would run away with the game when they took an early 30-17 lead, but the Lions closed the opening half on a 10-2 run to cut the lead to five points at the break.

Head coach Tim O’Hagan liked the offensive effort. “It’s great to get the win,” O’Hagan said. “They started running our offense the way they’re supposed to run it. We lost three in a row, but we played pretty well against STAC, and carried it into today.”

The Lions return to action Wednesday when they host Bridgeport.

Late Run Leads STAC past Molloy

By Patrick McCormack

Led by a late13-4 in the second half, the St. Thomas Aquinas Spartans beat the Molloy Lions 61-55 Saturday afternoon at Quealy Gym on the Campus of Molloy College. Junior Brianna Sloper led the Spartans with 17 points and with the win the Spartans moved to 13-3, 9-0 in ECC Play .

After St. Thomas scored the first basket of the game, the Lions responded with an 11-1 run to take an early 11-3 lead. After a St. Thomas time out, they went on a 12-0 run ,led by five points by   senior Theresa Dowling, to take a 15-11 lead . Molloy would tie the game at 17, on a three-pointer by sophomore Ashley Addison, who led all scorers with 18 points. Molloy would take a three point, 23-20, lead when freshman Jessica DeNicola hit two foul shots but St. Thomas would tie the game when Riley Harrington hit a three- pointer with 16 seconds left in the half. At the half the game was tied at 23.

Molloy would hop out to an early 27-23 lead to start the second half. But Dowling would hit a jumped to cap a 5-0  Spartan run to take a 28-27 lead. Molloy jumped ahead 33-30 on a jumper by graduate student Delmara Reece .The teams would exchange two point leads until the game was tied at 46. That is when the Spartans went on their run that gave them the lead for good.

With the lose Molloy falls to 3-12,3-5 in ECC play. They will resume play Monday when they travel to play Queens College.

Player Profile : #50 Caitlin Wheeler

By Patrick McCormack
Senior Caitlin Wheeler came over to the Lions last season after playing two seasons at CW Post . Last season Wheeler set the single season blocks record with 104. She set the all-time Molloy record in the season open versus Franklin Pierce, a game where she had eight blocks,  when she  recorded her 108th career block as a Lion. She  now has a career total of 156 blocks  . This season Wheeler is currently first in the ECC and third in the nation averaging 3.5 blocks per game .

High School : Poly Prep
Major : Mathenatics

Best performance: dont even know.. as long as we win.. i really could care less what MY stat line looks like.
High school: making it to states my freshman year
highschool: played volleyball, basketball, and threw the javelin and discus in track
Molloy sports moment: winning ECC championship
High School honors: most improved my sophmore year.. and mvp my senior year
Favorite sports: volleyball
Favorite actor: mike harmon actress: anne hathaway
Not on the court: listen to music, dance, and hang out with my teammates and friends
Favorite sports team: Jets and celtics

Coach's Corner : Assistant Coach Lisa Staab

By Patrick McCormack
This is Coach Staab's third season as an assitant coach with the Lions . I recently sat down with coach and we talked about her past playing career and her coaching career.

-High School: Immaculata Somerville, NJ
-Best Individual performance in HS: State Semi-finals Senior year
-Team Achievement: Winning the NJ State Championship
-Awards/honors: 4 year varsity letter, All State and All County Teams, Scholar Athlete
-Clubs in high school - Student government, community service and the rest I don't remember...
-College: Loyola College
-No team achievements - got hurt and stopped playing wasn't happy in college
-After college: Played in a few adult leagues
-Profession: Special Education Teacher at Malverne HS, Early Intervention Therapist with children with Autism
-Spare time : I like to go to my children's games, read, work out, sleep!
-Favorite  Moment at Molloy - Winning the ECC Tournament and going to the NCAA tournament
-Favorite  Moment in Basketball - When Villanova beat Georgetown in 1985 in the finals of the NCAA tournament
-Favorite Athletes: Larry Bird and Michael Jordan and Thurman Munson
-Favorite Sports Teams: NY Yankees, Giants, Boston Celtics
-Favorite sport other than basketball: BASKETBALL IS LIFE...There is no other sport besides basketball...I'd have to say baseball
-Favorite Actor or Actress: George Clooney
- If you can choose three people to invite to a who would you Dinner Party invite : Bruce Springsteen, Jack Nicholson, Nancy Lieberman

Molloy'sLate run comes up Short in Loss TO NYIT

Cierra Baker scored 14 points and grabbed18 rebounds to the lead NYIT to a 65-53 win over Molloy on Monday night at Quealy Gym on the campus of Molloy College. With the loss the Lions fall to 3-11, 3-4 ECC play. Ashley Addison led Molloy with 12 points.

The Bears got out to a quick six-point lead at 12-6, but Molloy stayed in it and cut the lead to 16-14. NYIT appeared set to break the game wide open when it went on an 11-3 run led by three pointers by freshman Alexandra Venute and sophomore Thalia Jimenez. This gave the Bears their biggest led of the half 27-17. The Bears led 35-26 going into the locker room at halftime.

Like they have all season long, Molloy came out and showed that they have fight. The Lions where able to cut the Bears lead to four when Addison hit back-to-back three pointers cutting the lead to 44-40. Later in the half, senior Caitlin Wheeler hit a three pointer to tie the game at 47. However, the Bears closed the game on a 16-4 run to seal the victory.

Molloy’s scheduled game versus Queens Wednesday is postponed due to the weather. The Lions return to action on Saturday when they host the first place St. Thomas Aquinas Spartans.

Player Profile #12: Christina Marra

By Patrick McCormack

Player profile on Molloy's sophomore guard Christina Marra . Marra is second on the team in  scoring averaging 9.4 points per game . She also leads the team in steals averaging 2.6 per game.  

High Schhol: Half Hallow Hills West
Major: Mathematics Education

Best performance in a single game ?

Career high in points: 16, steals: 6, assists:6, rebounds: 13.

High school team's best accomplishment?

Undefeated League 4 champs.

What sports did you play in high school?

Field Hockey, Basketball and Track.

Favorite moment in high school sports?

Winning the league title and scoring my career high 31 points.

Favorite Molloy sports moment ?

Winning the ECC Conference championship and going to regionals.

Athletics honors won in high school?

Scholar Athlete of the Year and Athlete of the year, 1,000 point milestone, Golden Key award, 7 varsity letter award, All-League and All-County, All-Long Island nominee.

Favorite sport other than basketball?

To watch: football, to play: field hockey.

Favorite athlete?

Jason Kidd.

Favorite actor or actress?

Bradley Cooper, Sandra Bullock.

When you are not on the court you like to?

Hang out with friends and the team.

Clubs or academic honors in high school?

Athletes Helping Athletes, Varsity Club, Scholar athlete.

Favorite sports Team?

Los Angeles Lakers.  

Molloy Falls to Dowling in Battle of The Lions

On Saturday afternoon the Molloy Lions fell to the Dowling Golden Lions 52-39 at Dowling College . Graduate student Delmara Reece led Molloy with her sixth double-double of the year, 11 points and 11 rebounds . Christina Marra also had a good day rebounding the ball. She  recorded 13 rebounds . With the lost Molloy falls to (3-10,3-3 ECC Play ) and return home Monday for a league game against  the NYIT Bears.

Demchak's late Basket Sparks Molloy over Mercy

By Patrick McCormack 

Scarlett Demchak's ,who finished with four points ,jumper with 26 seconds left in the second half  led the Molloy Lions to a 58-56 victory over the Mercy College Mavericks Wednesday night at Mercy College Gym on the campus of Mercy College. Demchak recalled her game winning shot "I remember coming across the baseline and catching the ball in the left corner and I had the open shot so I took it. When it went in, it felt great knowing we now had the lead because the team had been putting forth such great effort in fighting to come back for the win" Demchak said.

The lions were led by sophomore Christina Marra , who scored a team high 14 points

Marra was excited the Lions were able to come back and win,  " Every game from here on in is huge for every team in this league. I am extremely happy and proud of our whole team for pulling it together for a big victory." Marra said," In order to be successful in this league, we need to play tough from beginning to end. It felt great to comeback and pull this win out."

Molloy started out with an early 5-0 lead but later in the half Mercy would go on a 9-0 run of their own. Which game them a 24-16 lead . Freshman Jessica  DeNicola scored eight points down the stretch to cut the Mercy lead to 28-24. But Mercy Senior Ashley Borofsky hit a three pointer at the Buzzer to give Mercy a 31-24 lead at the end of the first half.

Mercy hoped out to their biggest lead of the game ,42-31, mid way through the second half . But the Lions would fight back .The Lions went on a 13-3 run led by 5 points from each Graduate student Delmara  Reece and Marra. After the run the Lions led 45-44. Mercy would respond to this with a 6-0 run of their own. Reece hit a foul shot with 3:15 left to tie the game at 50. Mercy led 56-55 with 1:11 left . This set up the play that would win the game for the Lions.

Mercy Transfer Delmara  Reece  recorder  her fifth double-double of the season with, 12 points and 17 rebounds.  Reece was happy to come back to her old school at pick up a victory. "It felt really good to come back to the  gym where I played three years. It  felt really good to play here with a different team and coming out with a victory." Reece said, " Being down at half was an eye opener for us, it helped us as a team to work together and pull out the win."

With the win the Lions improve to 3-9,3-2 in ECC play. They return to action Saturday for a league game against at Dowling.