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.

NYIT Hands Molloy First Loss in League Play

Led by 17 points from Nikki Jo Rotolo the NYIT Bears defeated the Molloy Lions 63-54 in an ECC showdown at Quealy Gymnasium  on the campus of Molloy College in Rockville Centre, New York.

With the game tied at 6, the Lions went on an 8-0, led by six points from graduate guard Amanda Bartlett, to go up 14-6.NYIT would follow with an8-0 run of their own to tie the game at 14. With the game tied at 16, NYIT went on a 7-2 run to go up 23-18. Going into the half, NYIT led 26-22.

The Bears picked up their biggest lead of the game 37-28 to start the half. But Molloy would climb back into it with a 9-4 run of their own to cut the Bears lead to 41-37. The teams traded baskets the rest of the way. With Molloy down by four with less than a minute-thirty to go the Bears put the game away on the foul line.

With the win NYIT improves to 9-4,3-0in ECC play. With the loss the Lions fall to 7-7,3-1 in ECC play.

The Lions continue ECC play on Wednesday when they travel to Bridgeport University to play the Purple Knights.

Molloy beats STAC to improve to 3-0 in ECC Play

By Patrick McCormack

Sophomore Jessica DeNicola’s 20 points led the Molloy Lions to a 55-42 victory over the St. Thomas Aquinas Spartans in an ECC bout at Quealy Gymnasium  on the campus of Molloy College in Rockville Centre, New York. Graduate guard Amanda Bartlett added 14 points for the Lions. With the win the Lions improve to 7-6,3-0 in ECC play.

Denicola saw the importance of establishing an inside game. “It was very important since we had such a height advantage and post presence inside. The key was establishing body contact and getting goo position which allowed us to get the ball inside so easily,” DeNicola said. “It feels amazing to be 3-0 we have a long road ahead of us but have to keep working hard and together. We need to keep playing hard and together. We need to keep having good chemistry and working the ball. If we play hard and together we will be successful.”

Down 2-0 early first quarter the Lions went on a 11-2 run, led by four points from DeNicola and Red-Shirt junior Molloy Dryer,  to go up 11-4. STAC would respond with a 10-2 run of their own to go up 14-13. Trailing by one,23-22, DeNicola hit a lay-up to put the Lions up one. Then on the next trip down Bartlett knocked down a three to put the Lions up four, 27-23, and that’s where things stood at the half.

Bartlett, who scored 11 points in the first half, liked her team’s intensity and the way they played defense. “We are a good defensive team but we always have let downs that allowed other teams to score. We concentrated on everyone playing their role in practice and especially concentrated on rebounding to help us win ,Bartlett said, “We knew that STAC was a good team and realized how important it was to get the win against them to set a tone for conference play. We need to continue playing together and giving 100% every time were on the court.”

In the second half, a jumper by Dreyer gave the Lions an eight point lead,31-23. The Spartan were able to cut the Molloy lead to two,37-35, when reigning C0-ECC Player of the Year Brianna Sloper hit a lay-up. With the score 44-40, Molloy went on a 9-0 run to go up 53-40. The Spartans had no response to this run as Molloy held on to win.

Coach Tim O’Hagan was happy with his team played after dropping the previous two contests. “I was real proud of how our girls performed. I thought they had the right mental toughness that is needed in league play. I thought we had better bench play and our point Guards LA( Laura Rivera) and Megan ( Orlando) controlled the ball with a lead late.”