BRONXVILLE, N.Y. — The St. Joseph's University, N.Y. (Brooklyn) women's basketball team was narrowly defeated by Sarah Lawrence College, 59-55, on Tuesday night from the Campbell Sports Center.
How it Happened
After the Gryphons held an 8-5 edge midway through the first quarter, the Bears scored eight unanswered – propelled by three pointers from Grace Kennedy (Maspeth, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) and Kristen Donovan (Maspeth, N.Y./Archbishop Molloy) – to lead 13-8; their largest advantage of the period. Sarah Lawrence drained a pair of triples following the SJBK spurt, pushing them to a 16-15 lead at the end of the stanza.
The hosts saw their largest lead of the night in the second quarter, 25-18 with 4:34 on the clock. The Bears closed the gap to 29-28 at the half behind seven points in the final four minutes from Destiny Hurt (Elmont, N.Y./Sewanhaka).
The advantage swung back in the Bears' favor 45 seconds into the third quarter, holding it for much of the period. Mercedes Perez (San Antonio, Texas/William Howard Taft) chipped in six points over the 10 minutes as the navy and gray forced Sarah Lawrence into six turnovers. St. Joseph's took a 45-42 lead into the fourth.
Shanna Bliss (Astoria, N.Y./Bryant) restored the Bears' five-point lead in the fourth quarter. However, the Gryphons used an 8-2 run to regain the lead, 50-49. The advantage exchanged hands twice more before the hosts held on to win 59-55.
For the Bears
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Hurt turned in a game-best 22 points to go with eight rebounds and five steals.
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Donovan posted 11 points and collected a trio of caroms.
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Perez finished with 10 points, six rebounds, and three steals.
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Bliss forced six steals, one shy of her season best (seven vs. Pratt). She also collected eight boards and scored five points.
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Kennedy posted a team-leading 10 rebounds.
Up Next
The Bears return home to face St. Joseph's (Long Island) in the first game of an Alumni Day doubleheader on Saturday, February 3 at 1 pm.
