BENDER SCORES 23 TO HELP WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TO 60-54 VICTORY OVER C.W. POST

Senior Randi Bender (North Bellmore, NY) scored 23 points to guide the Molloy College women's basketball team to a 60-54 East Coast Conference victory over the Pioneers of C.W. Post on February 2. The Lady Lions improve to 11-9 overall and 9-4 in league play, while the Pioneers fall to 13-7 and 10-3.

Tough start for the Lady Lions as they placed only four points on the scoreboard during the first seven minutes of play, while C.W. Post posted nine points. With 9:15 left in the first, sophomore Lisa Abitante's (Brooklyn, NY) lay-up evened the score at 13. For the next three minutes, the game remained scoreless but sophomore Betsy Bordes (Elmont, NY) broke the silence to give Molloy the 15-13 lead. The remainder of the first saw six tie scores but the Pionneers went on top at halftime (29-27).

Sophomore Kymira Woodberry (Boston, MA) sparked a 12-6 run for the Lady Lions as they went up by five (40-35) in the opening minutes of the second. Molloy kept a slight edge on the Pioneers for the next ten minutes but a basket by Gina Catherall tied the game at 52 with 4:25 ticks left. However, six straight points by Bender brought Molloy ahead by six (58-52) and they would let C.W. Post score only two more points to hang on to the 60-54 victory.

Bender led all players with 23 point, while Woodberry pulled down a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore E.J. Dreyer (Floral Park, NY) recorded six points, 10 rebounds and seven steals, while Abitante finished with six points and six assists.
The Lady Lions will travel to the University of Bridgeport on Wednesday, February 6 for a 5:00 PM conference game.