BENDER RECORDS 21 POINTS TO GUIDE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TO 79-47 VICTORY OVER MERCY

DOBBS FERRY, NY- Senior Randi Bender (North Bellmore, NY) scored 21 points to guide the Molloy College women's basketball team to a 79-47 victory over the Mavericks of Mercy College on February 16. The East Coast Conference win improves the Lady Lions to 13-11 overall and 11-6 in the ECC, while the Mavericks drop to 6-17 and 6-11.

Sophomore Lisa Abitante's (Brooklyn, NY) lay-up sparked a 10-0 opening run for the Lady Lions. At the midpoint of the first, sophomore Kymira Woodberry (Boston, MA) recorded two points and gave Molloy the 18-7 advantage. The Mavericks made it an eight point game (20-12) but three pointers by Abitante and Bender brought the Lady Lions ahead by 14 (26-12) with six minutes left in the half. A three point play by Bender extended the Lady Lions lead to 33-17 and Molloy cruised into halftime with the 40-24 cushion.

Six minutes into the second half, Mercy cut their deficit to 12 (49-37). The Lady Lions did not let Mercy come any closer and a lay-up by freshman Brittany Jones (Elmont, NY) sparked an 8-0 run to give Molloy the 63-42 edge with 6:30 left. In the final minutes of the game, the Lady Lions outscored the Mavericks, 16-5 to come away with the 79-47 conference victory.

Bender led all players with 21 points, while Woodberry finished the game with a double-double (15 points; 11 rebounds). Abitante contributed 11 points and five rebounds and senior Kelly Quackenbush (Westbury, NY) pitched In with 10 points and nine rebounds.

The Lady Lions return home on Wednesday, February 20 to take on Concordia College. The East Coast Conference game is scheduled to begin at 5:00 PM.